Defenders of the Earth
by AintFraidaNoGhosts
Summary: AU "Doomsday." Trapped in Pete's World, Rose and the Doctor attempt to find their way back to the TARDIS while navigating Torchwood, meddling family members, and  as per usual  threats to humanity.
1. Prologue

"Hold on!" the Doctor screamed, watching Rose helplessly clinging to the lever. Mentally, he cursed Torchwood, the Daleks, Cybermen; really anyone who could remotely hold responsibility for their current predicament.

Mostly, as per usual, he blamed himself.

He couldn't lose Rose. Not after all they had been through; all that he could have said but hadn't. They had faced the Devil himself (_Well…sort of_). He would not lose her to a faulty lever and a stupid organization bent on British supremacy.

Her grip on the lever was slipping, even as she held on for dear life. The Doctor removed one hand from his magna clamp and extended it as far as he could.

"Grab my hand!" he shouted over the rush of wind.

"No!" she called back. "You'll get pulled in!"

He considered rolling his eyes at her, but decided in the next moment that this was really not the best time for it. "Just do it!"

He could already feel his grip slipping. All she had to do was let one hand go, grab Ihis/I hand, and he could pull them back to the (relative) safety of the clamp. Easy peasy.

Rose stared into his eyes for a moment. He knew how much she trusted him, but he was still unsure how much she trusted herself. Still, they were running out of time. She wouldn't be able to hold on much longer, the suction from the Void was too strong. He _needed_ to pull her to his own side, and soon.

They were a split-second too late.

The moment Rose released one hand from the lever, the winds from the Void overtook her and she completely lost her hold.

The Doctor stared in horror, one hand still outstretched towards her, as she fell into Hell. There was nothing he could do to stop her. He grasped desperately at the air, screaming her name, hoping to catch _some_ part of her in his hand so he could pull her back towards him.

The Doctor's grip on his magna clamp had begun to slip. Before he could properly register what was happening, his own fingers lost contact. He could hear Rose calling for him, could feel the hungry Void pulling him in. His last thought as he resolved himself to their fate was that, wherever they ended up, at least they would be together.

That is, until he slammed into a solid human body, an arm clenched around him, and he felt the tell-tale tingle of dimension hopping…


	2. Chapter 1

The Doctor tumbled out of his rescuer's arms onto solid ground, relatively certain that this was _not_, in fact, the Void. He noted the breathable atmosphere, linoleum floor, several human hearts beating at various rates, and a unique, beloved scent that, for a brief period, he had been convinced he would never experience again.

"Rose!" he cried, pushing himself off the ground and searching frantically about the room for a familiar flash of blonde hair.

"I'm here!"

The Doctor could have wept at the sound. Immediately crossing the room, he pulled her into a crushing embrace, relief flooding his whole being at her warmth pressed against him. He brushed kisses anywhere he could reach, murmuring her name between each.

"'S alright, Doctor," she soothed. She framed his face in her hands and pressed their foreheads together. "'S okay, we're okay. I'm here, I'm not leaving you."

The Doctor took a deep, shuddering breath in an attempt to calm his frantic hearts. She was alive, _here_, in his arms, and he wasn't sure he would ever be able to let her go again.

He could hear Jackie, Mickey, and Pete close by, trying to engage one another in conversation about the weather (of all things!) in order to give him and Rose a moment. However, he knew they had a Situation-with-a-capital-S that he needed to sort. Tearing himself away from Rose with some difficulty, he surveyed the room around him. The machinery and blank, white wall nearby told him exactly where he and Rose had ended up.

The Parallel Torchwood. The Parallel Universe.

And the TARDIS was on the other side.

The Doctor turned towards the wall, where he was closest to the spatial disturbance that had started this whole mess. He pressed his hand and cheek against the plaster, straining for any signs that he could still connect with the TARDIS despite being a universe apart.

"Can you feel her?" Rose asked. She placed her hand over his on the wall and mirrored his stance.

The Doctor took a deep breath, closed his eyes and reached out, stretching his mind further than he ever had to before. _There_, faintly, in the back of his mind, he could still hear his TARDIS singing a quiet song in an attempt to soothe his frazzled consciousness through the Void.

He was relieved, though apprehensive at the same time. Was there still a gap between worlds somewhere? If so, it may not be large enough to travel through. If he was very, _very_ lucky, he might be able to send someone a message. But who? UNIT? The Brigadier would be likely to help, at least to transport the TARDIS somewhere safe.

He sighed, opened his eyes and locked them with Rose's. "She's there, I can feel her, only just though. There may still be a small tear between universes, or it may simply be that we can still connect through the Void. I just don't know at this point…" He turned back to Pete, who was still holding his Dimension Hopper. "Pete? That thing still work?"

Pete tossed the hopper over to the Doctor. Placing an arm around Rose's waist, he pressed the big yellow button.

"Dead," he announced. "Not surprised, really. Means it worked. The walls are sealed."

"Will she be okay?" Rose asked. "The TARDIS? I mean, is she safe there? At Torchwood Tower?"

The Doctor felt a wave of gratitude pass through him so strong that he had to pull Rose into his arms yet again. Here they were, trapped in a parallel world, separated from everything Rose had ever known, and she was worried about his _ship_. Once again, a lovely pink-and-yellow human managed to keep him grounded.

"You, Rose Tyler, are amazing," he whispered, breaking their embrace and giving her a weak smile. "I've no doubt that the TARDIS will be fine. Remember, assembled hords of Genghis Khan? No one will be able to harm her."

"And what about you?" Rose asked, cupping his cheek. "The TARDIS is all you have left. Can we even get back to her?"

The Doctor leaned slightly into her touch. He wasn't entirely sure they would ever be able to return to the TARDIS. Travel between parallel worlds was supposed to be impossible. Sure, they had managed it a few times. So had the parallel Torchwood. Still, the dimension hoppers had stopped working. With enough time and the right equipment, he was certain he could modify the technology to send them back. However, said technology was not supposed to exist in the 21st Century, despite whatever Torchwood had been dabbling in.

With a confidence he didn't entirely feel, he finally responded to Rose's queries with somewhat false enthusiasm. "No idea. Half the fun though, right? Hmm? New adventure? We'll figure it out, Rose. Got the best team on the job, eh?" He tweaked her chin affectionately, and was rewarded with a brilliant smile.

"Shiver and Shake?"

"Oh, yes." He grinned, somewhat goofily at his companion, immensely grateful that, no matter what, they were in this together.

* * *

><p>They agreed that the assembled party would retire to Pete's home in an attempt to relax and regroup so work could begin on returning to their proper universe first thing in the morning. Pete had offered any and all of Torchwood's resources to the Doctor, for which he felt exceptionally grateful. They spoke a bit on the ride back about modifying the Dimension Hoppers for safer travel, and the Doctor discovered that they lacked the technology to actually punch holes in the walls between universes. Certainly they could travel between once the walls were open, but he was not too keen on waiting around for someone with the capability. Generally, someone with that technology in this time period would be up to no good, and <em>that<em> was an understatement.

He didn't want to think of any ne'er-do-wells threatening them without the protection of the TARDIS. He had no failsafe anymore, nowhere he absolutely trusted he could put Rose in the event of a proper end-of-the-universe scenario. Not that he would ever consider sending Rose away again. She certainly showed him what good that would do. He wasn't sure he _could_ to it again, to be honest. Or that he would want to. The knowledge of just how much he _needed_ Rose Tyler threatened once again to take his breath away.

The object of his musings was, currently, staring at her mum and sort-of dad with an expression of gentle happiness on her face. Jackie and Pete were sitting in the front seat of the Jeep, conversing in soft tones about their current situation. Despite the strange way in which they found one another, their hands were linked between the seats and an overall feeling of serenity seemed to surround them.

"What d'you think then?" the Doctor nudged Rose with an elbow and grinned. "Don't make a half-bad matchmaker, do I?"

Rose glanced at him and smiled back, her tongue caught between her teeth in an alarmingly attractive manner. "I reckon a change in profession might be in order. The Doctor's Trans-Dimensional Dating Service."

"The perfect someone is out there, just maybe not in this universe!" he joked back, their banter placing him somewhat at ease. Despite their current situation, he found Rose's proximity to be a huge comfort. Suddenly, the prospect of being stuck on a parallel Earth sans TARDIS seemed infinitely more manageable.

He pulled Rose to him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She rested her head against his chest and the pair settled in comfortably for the rest of the trip.

* * *

><p>After establishing that he, Rose, and Jackie would be staying for the foreseeable future, Pete made arrangements with his personal shopper to outfit the trio with various necessities. At Jackie's and Rose's protests, he had simply flashed a black charge card and a winning grin, replying that it was on Torchwood.<p>

"For research purposes, you understand," he teased gently as he gave his shopper their various sizes and rang off.

Jackie proposed a cup of tea, and shared a brief argument with Pete about who would prepare it. Ultimately, it proved far more complicated than originally anticipated and involved a hasty dismissal of the kitchen staff with orders to take a few days of paid time off. Jackie made herself right at home in the enormous, gleaming gourmet kitchen and set about her favorite task. Pete directed her to the various items she needed, and Rose once again marveled at how _seamlessly_ the pair worked together and how naturally they had taken to one another.

A short while later, all with steaming cups in front of them, the foursome (Mickey having departed the mansion upon arrival, citing tea with his Gran) sat around the small wooden kitchen table. They doctored their cups, waiting for someone to start the inevitable "What now?" conversation.

"We are at a slight disadvantage," Pete began slowly. "The press will be watching Torchwood, and therefore me, more closely now that the walls have sealed and any environmental issues clear up. Jackie is supposed to be dead, and then she turns up with a grown daughter? I'm not sure anyone will believe that."

"One of the most amazing things about you humans," the Doctor responded, "is your ability to turn a blind eye to anything remotely extraordinary. Spaceship crashing into Big Ben? Alien hoax. Sycorax hijacking a satellite? Students. Giant cockroach crash lands his ship on a backwater farm and steals your husband's skin? Swamp gas from a weather balloon was trapped in a thermal pocket and reflected the light from Venus. A wife back from the dead and mysterious daughter? Well…you get the idea."

"Not sure whether to agree or feel insulted," Pete murmured from across the table.

Rose smiled at him. "You'll get used to it."

The Doctor could have sworn she mumbled something along the lines of, "Beautiful for a human," before Pete began speaking again. "I think the easiest course as of right now would be to get all of your paperwork in order. If you'll be spending as much time as you imply at Torchwood, we should bring you on. You'll need identification, though. We're too involved with the People's Republic to keep several new employees under their radar."

The Doctor froze, cup of tea halfway to his lips. Employee? Torchwood? _Going to work every day with Jackie Tyler_?

"Oi!" Jackie interjected. "If you think I'm stepping one _toe_ in that place then you'd best be prepared for a sectioning! I'll be sticking to what I'm good at, thank you very much."

The Doctor practically sagged in relief. Unable to resist the opportunity, he interjected, "Screeching and slapping a spectator sport in this universe, Pete?"

Before Jackie could work up to said slapping, Pete placed a gentle hand over hers and smiled indulgently. "You can do anything you want, Jacks."

Rose cast a sidelong glance at the Doctor. He seemed…okay. He was engaging in their usual banter, criticizing her species, and insulting her mother. Practically normal for the pair of them. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn it was just another day, back in London for a visit, and they would return to the TARDIS in a few hours to resume their travels.

Before her thoughts could delve any deeper, Rose let out a huge yawn and clapped her hand over her mouth. "Sorry," she said, stifling the next yawn as it threatened to emerge. "Long day. Mind if I turn in? I promise, we can finish talking shop in the morning."

Pete's expression softened. "Quite right. You and the Doctor can stay in the guest wing. Third floor, to the left. D'you need me to show you?"

"Nah, think I can manage," Rose replied.

"I'll join you," the Doctor said, rising out of his chair.

"'Night Mum, Pete," Rose told the pair as the Doctor took her hand. "Thank you again, Pete…for everything."

Pete rewarded Rose with a small smile. "Feels more like I should be thanking you two, but…you're welcome."

Rose glanced at the Doctor, the beginnings of a grin on her lips. He squeezed her hand and led them out of the kitchen to retire for the evening.


	3. Chapter 2

**Thank you guys so much for your awesome reviews! It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this. I have up to chapter 3 completed, and am waiting for chapter 4 back from my beta, so more is on the way! For now, here's a bit of a boring exposition chapter. I hope I make up for it with the ending :-)**

Rose and the Doctor managed to find their way to the guest wing without problems. Rose was not at all surprised when she encountered the fairly lavish accommodations. Pete no doubt entertained important guests, and had to put them up accordingly. Still, the space maintained a personal feel with a comfortable sitting area and media center, two bedrooms (one containing two twins and the other with an incredibly plush-looking four-poster queen), and a small half-bath tucked into one corner. Rose guessed that each bedroom would contain a full ensuite, and she immediately began to move toward the room with the gorgeous bed.

"God, I'm _completely_ knackered," she yawned. "Do you mind if I take this room? Know you don't sleep much, and that bed looks_ so_ nice…"

The Doctor looked surprised for a moment, then rearranged his features into a mask of nonchalance, giving her a simple, "Whatever you want," as a reply.

Rose searched his face. Had he assumed they would share a room? Their physical intimacy was still so new, only just recently progressing to freely sharing kisses, but they had yet to cross the line where sharing a bed would be assumed. Certainly they had _slept_ together before, generally when no other option was available. What did he expect of her now?

"Unless…" she trailed off.

The Doctor perked up. "Unless…?" he prompted.

"Well, if you're worried about getting lonely, I could always ring Mickey up." Rose forced back a giggle at the Doctor's face, a mix of disbelief and mild horror. "I mean, you two would have a great slumber party. Scary movies, pedicures, pillow fights…just try to keep the squealing over 'Heat,' to a minimum, yeah? I'll be trying to sleep."

Rose grinned teasingly at him, and the Doctor felt his spirits lift considerably at the sight of her pink tongue peeking out from between her teeth.

"Well," he began. "Nothing against Mister Mickey, but if I had my pick of sleepover partners, he would _definitely_ not be on my list."

"Yeah?" Rose replied, stepping closer. "Why's that then?"

"Can you imagine him during the horror films? Screeching like a five-year-old girl with a giant lolly."

Rose laughed. She was within arm's length now, and she gently tugged the Doctor's tie free of his jacket and used it to pull him towards her. "True, true. Anything else in particular?"

"I can name many people far more talented with the nail varnish. If he ruined my pedicure, I can tell you right now, Rose, I don't think I'd ever be able to look at him the same way. Jack was rubbish. Couldn't look me in the eye for a week, remember?"

"I do," Rose practically purred. She was so close now, her arms inching around his waist, her warmth proving quite distracting. "Anything else?"

"Oh, yes," he whispered, his hands reaching up to cup her face gently. "Most assuredly. Pillow fights would be incredibly awkward. Obviously."

"Yeah, 'course," she stated simply. Then she stood up on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his gently, pulling away before things could get too heated. She was enjoying their banter. "And?"

The Doctor opened his eyes and blinked slowly. He looked a bit dazed. "Well, doing things like _that_ with him wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable."

"Yeah?"

"Yes," the Doctor stated vehemently, bending down for another, longer, far-less-chaste Kiss-with-a-capital-K. His hands moved from her face to span across her back, pulling her as close to him as possible, the little whimpers she made in the back of her throat exciting him more than he cared to admit to the general population.

When Rose finally broke the kiss due to lack of oxygen, the Doctor wasn't the only one with a dazed expression on his face. Once the fog in Rose's mind cleared, she laughed softly. "Oh, fine. Don't hog the blankets and if you snore, I'm tossing you out. Capiche?"

The Doctor smiled softly at her, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Capiche," he agreed. She took him by the hand and they made their way to the gorgeous bedroom.

* * *

><p>The Doctor never slept much, as a general rule. When he did, he typically caught what he needed in cat naps throughout the TARDIS. He was fairly certain he was tired enough to join Rose at least briefly in slumber, but he found the absence of his ship's normal vibrations and sounds disconcerting. Not to mention that her greatly diminished presence in his mind made it nearly impossible for him to relax. The entire situation was reminding him far too much of waking up after the Time War; an empty, echoing space in his mind where millions of voices used to be. The only thing that had kept him going at even half his usual pizzazz and luster was his beautiful ship, strong in his mind and soothing his consciousness.<p>

That is, until he found Rose. His gorgeous, amazing Rose, who was currently snuggled up to him, her back to his front, drooling slightly on the pillow.

She certainly had had no trouble settling in. Practically dead on her feet after the day they'd had, she had stripped down to her black camisole and lacy knickers immediately upon entering the room. The Doctor had pointedly looked away, undressed a bit himself and settled into the bed, but Rose hadn't even blushed. She had simply crawled under the plush duvet, spooned up against him, and fallen asleep almost instantly. Now, the Doctor not only felt on edge at being so far away from his ship, but also because his companion's soft, warm curves were pressed deliciously against him and were nearly succeeding in driving him to distraction.

He had been able to suppress his desire for her for a very long time. He was, after all, a Time Lord. Temptations of the flesh were not generally cause for him to lose his focus, unlike the vast majority of males he encountered on his travels. He had been unwilling to cross the line into the physical realm with Rose for a variety of reasons, each he could write a novel on, given enough time and incentive. Lately, though, especially in such close, quiet moments like this one, he found that he was sorely lacking in said incentive.

It has started so abruptly, so suddenly. When questioned about it later, Rose has stammered and blushed and muttered something about him being adorable and irresistible and her being at her breaking point. Just before landing to see the 2012 Olympics, he had been nattering on about Earth and its almost obsessive need for proper pomp and circumstance for _every single bloody_ occasion. He hadn't been fully paying attention to Rose's movements, as he had been very busy trying not to crash-land thankyouverymuch, and very soon found himself pressed against a coral strut and involved in an incredibly hot, passionate, full-on snog.

Almost instantly, it was as if a dam had broken and oh, was it incredible! Very quickly he was kissing her back with equal fervor. In fact, the Doctor was fairly certain that things would have progressed further, if the way Rose had been slyly undoing the top few buttons of his Oxford and kissing down his neck had been any indication. He was completely amenable to the fact, but then alarms had started ringing and bells were dinging and he had to go fly the TARDIS so that he could avoid killing them both.

No wonder he had landed the doors against a dumpster.

Their normal rapport of hugs and hand-holding had progressed quite naturally to include kissing. There was very little discussion of the shift, no real mention of it outside of the Doctor's natural curiosity about Rose's motivations. They were the same as ever, only now, they could kiss one another whenever they liked.

Lack of time and opportunity had been the only things that had prevented them from taking their relationship further. But the Doctor was fine with that. Really. He was. Absolutely positively.

But then, there had never been so much _skin_ on display before. There had never been so few layers of clothing between said skin and his impossibly curious fingers. He'd never had the opportunity to slip his hand beneath her camisole and stroke the warm flesh located just above soft lace. He could hardly help himself. Barely realizing he was doing so, he spread his palm over her midsection and pressed a gentle kiss just below her ear.

Rose moaned softly, and the sound went straight to the Doctor's groin. So much for his legendary control. She wriggled a bit against him, and he had to grit his teeth to avoid groaning into her ear. He removed his hand from under her shirt and took several deep breaths, attempting to clear the fog that had settled in his mind.

Frustrated with his lack of control and feeling quite cross with himself, the Doctor rolled onto his back and blew out a breath. He had to start thinking about how to return them to their proper universe, and lusting after his companion (Girlfriend? Partner? Significant Other? Broad? They'd have to discuss semantics in the morning) was not helping.

From what he could sense, several hours had passed since he and Rose had gone to bed. It was now half-past one in the morning, and it was slightly unnerving that he could spend so much time laying in a bed, doing absolutely nothing except holding Rose in his arms. The fact that Time had escaped him, even just for a few hours, was certainly unprecedented. And unnerving. He needed to move.

Despite Rose's sleepy sounds of disapproval, the Doctor managed to extract himself from their embrace without waking her. He pulled back on his Oxford and trainers, deciding to forego his tie and jacket, and made his way back down to the kitchen. Cup of tea would help. He just needed to focus.

* * *

><p>Upon entering the kitchen, he was quite surprised to find Mickey half-buried in the massive refrigerator, rummaging around and seeming quite comfortable doing so. The Doctor hadn't realized that Mickey either A) resided at the Tyler Estate as well, or B) was a frequent enough guest that he was comfortable raiding the fridge in the middle of the night.<p>

"Bit late for a snack," was how the Doctor announced his presence.

Mickey peeked out from behind the stainless steel door and grinned. "Look what the cat dragged in. Should say the same about you, boss. Rose asleep?"

"Soundly," the Doctor replied. "Left her drooling on thousand-thread-count Egyptian cotton."

Mickey nudged the door shut with his foot, makings for a sandwich balanced on one hand. "Thought as much. Guess I'm closest to winning the pool. Good thing, too, been saving for a Mustang."

The Doctor watched, confused, as Mickey nonchalantly began sorting his ingredients and assembling the meat, bread, and cheese into some kind of sandwich monstrosity. "Pool?"

"Whether you and Rose are shagging."

"WHAT?" The Doctor spluttered, completely appalled. "Who on Earth would bet on _that?"_

"Harriet Jones and me. Who do you think?" Mickey took a bite of his food. "Pete, Jackie, Jake, and I. 'Course, not entirely sure Jackie's money is legal in this universe, but all the same. I'm due two hundred pounds if I have the time frame right. So, how long? I figured at least six months, based on the way you couldn't keep your hands off each other…"

Was he that obvious? Did everyone see it? He had to know. Rubbing the back of his neck, he hesitantly asked, "Be honest, Mickey…just how badly am I going to be slapped in the morning?"

Mickey laughed out loud. "You're safe for the moment. Jackie thinks that you two can't be shagging 'cause Rose would have told her. I told her she's daft. Reckon I'm more in danger of a slap than you for that little flub. Now that we know you're sleeping together, she might change her tune!"

"Mickey, I…that is, er…we're not, technically, _sleeping_ together…"

Mickey smirked. "Yeah, I wouldn't call it that either."

The Doctor ignored him. "Well, I mean, we're not…oh, I do hate this word…_shagging_ as you so eloquently put it. Honestly. Leave it to you humans to attach so many euphemisms to one basic biological act. Well, at least you don't execute for public displays of affection. Not like the Butraxians. Very underdeveloped immune system, should be living in plastic bubbles, really. Instead they've outlawed any physical contact. Still, we're not from Butrax! You'd think there would be little concern about our immune systems. Besides, all we were doing was holding hands. Still, all in all one of the nicer prison cells we've escaped from. _Gorgeous_ stonework..."

Mickey could only feign polite interest for so long and interrupted the Doctor's long-winded rant. "So, if you aren't shagging, what do you call what you do then? 'Cause there's something going on between you two. I'm not blind. Or an idiot, despite what you seem to think."

"Oh, Mickey, you are absolutely not an idiot," The Doctor gave Mickey a delighted grin. "You're absolutely brilliant, you are. Traveling between parallel worlds. Bringing down the Cybermen. And yet, still not knowing when to stop digging for information. I hope I'm not being too rude when I tell you ever so politely to butt out."

Mickey grinned back. "Haven't changed much, I see. Still rude and not ginger. Point taken. Still, even though you're not _sleeping_ together, you're still..well…sleeping together, yeah?"

"Oh, you just don't know when to leave anything alone, do you?"

"No, not what I meant!" Mickey protested, still smirking. "Just thinking about how, if I had Rose in my bed, I wouldn't be wasting time talking to her ex in a kitchen. I'd be having a cuddle. What do you think? Sounds preferable. If you're not gonna partake, I'd be more than happy to take up the job."

The Doctor considered Mickey, knowing that he was just trying to provoke him. Still, he couldn't help the stab of possessive anger at his words. He decided to outwardly ignore Mickey's comments, simply sticking his hands in his pockets and responding jovially. "Well, got me there. Iron-clad logic. Night then, Mickey. Off to bed, cuddles await. See you in the morning."

"Yeah, night, boss," Mickey replied smugly.

On the way back to their room, the Doctor couldn't help but admit that Mickey was right. He _shouldn't _neglect Rose. There was nothing he could do about their predicament at the moment, and he had a wonderful woman waiting in his bed. May as well enjoy that lovely, warm, sleeping human while he could.

…and that _definitely_ sounder far dirtier than he intended.

* * *

><p>Rose awoke the next morning, feeling so delightfully warm and content that even as she remembered the events of the previous day, she couldn't help but enjoy the comforting weight of the Doctor's arm draped around her waist and his slightly cool body spooned against her back. Certainly they had slept together before, but they had never woken up this <em>close<em> before, had never cuddled quite so intimately...at least, not horizontally. She was suddenly very aware of her state of undress as the Doctor began tracing his fingertips across her belly and planting gentle kisses across her cheek.

"'Morning," he whispered in her ear. Rose shivered. "Sleep well?"

"Mmm," she murmured. "I did actually." She stretched languidly, grinning to herself as she heard the Doctor's breath hitch against her ear. "Nice bed. Not bad company either."

She turned over and snuggled against the Doctor's chest. His arms came around her and he held her tightly to him.

The Doctor was loath to break the spell over the moment, and was slightly relieved when Rose did it for him. She let out a sigh, her warm breath spanning across his neck. "Big day today."

"Mmmhmm," he agreed absently, reaching up to smooth her hair back off her face.

"Lots to do," she continued. "Walls to break down, universes to cross, shops to raid."

"Yeah," he agreed, brushing kisses over her hairline, down her cheek. She shivered again.

"So…much…to…do," she whispered just before he captured her lips in his and rolled her gently underneath him.

The Doctor's lips worked against hers, a slight edge of urgency to his kisses. She briefly wondered at the change in his usual gentle, unhurried touch, but then his hands began to wander; slowly working their way under her camisole and Rose's mind went utterly, blissfully and completely blank. She gasped as his cool touch traced across the skin of her stomach; her body was screaming for him…if he could just move a bit higher…

A loud pounding at the door caused the Doctor to stop abruptly, rolling off of her with a groan as her mother's voice carried from the hall.

"Rose! Doctor! Smarten yourselves up, you're not fooling anyone! Breakfast in ten, I'd better see you down there!"

Rose let out a similar groan before responding with a brief, "Right, Mum, give us a bit!" She flopped dramatically back onto the pillows with a sigh and looked over at the Doctor, who had rolled out of bed and begun reassembling his suit. Stupid Time Lord. He seemed completely unaffected by their interruption while Rose's body was still aching for his touch. To see more and more layers covering his lithe frame was intensely disappointing.

"Aw, d'you have to?" Rose pouted.

The Doctor grinned at her. "Like you said, lots to do today. Best start with breakfast. Come on, up you get. Ten pounds says your mother's cooking is completely inedible. What do you say?"

Rose couldn't resist returning his grin. "I'll take that bet." She pushed off the duvet and swung her legs to the floor, not missing the Doctor's eyes roaming over her scantily-clad frame. Okay, maybe he was more affected than he let on. Her smile widened. "Come on, you, eyes up here. Time to get to work."


	4. Chapter 3

**This is the last chapter I have to upload, hopefully the next will be up by the weekend! See if you can spot the MST3K and Aqua Teen references :-)**

Upon entering the kitchen, Rose stopped dead at the threshold and watched the chaos playing out in front of her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Doctor do the same. Jackie was manning the stove, chatting animatedly with a white-haired woman clad in classic Chanel who kept dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. Pete was striding around the room with his mobile to his ear, occasionally sipping what appeared to be coffee from a chipped ceramic mug. Rose noticed that each time he passed Jackie at the stove, his hand would linger on her shoulder, or he would kiss the top of her head, or he would make a point to smile tenderly at her. Jackie was glowing; her face was scrubbed clean of makeup, she was dressed in a man's t-shirt and sweats and her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. Despite her disheveled state, Rose couldn't recall her mother ever looking so lovely. She had a feeling she knew what that meant…

The Doctor, having apparently noticed the same interactions that she had, began humming _Matchmaker, Matchmaker_ under his breath. Rose elbowed him in the ribs, giving him their secret signal to shut up before she could burst out laughing.

Mickey and Jake were seated at the kitchen table, which was covered in black binders, laminated graphs, and file folders. Their heads were bent together over some printouts and they were muttering to one another in low tones.

Jackie chose that moment to soundly scold the pair. "Oi, if you lot want a place to eat, you'd best start clearing those papers!"

To their credit, Mickey and Jake only looked mildly terrified before doing as they were told.

The scene was so horribly domestic that Rose half expected the Doctor to take off running at any moment. Instead, he squeezed her hand and announced, "Morning, all!"

"Morning, Rose…_you_..." Jackie greeted them, eyeing the Doctor warily.

"Oi!" the Doctor protested. "People say I'm rude! What kind of greeting is that?"

Jackie ignored him and came over to hug her daughter. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, actually," Rose replied. "You?"

"Oh, so so. I thought you would, too, seeing that you had company. Breakfast should be ready in a few. Coffee's on, if you need it." Jackie told them, breezing back to the stove and resuming her conversation with the older woman.

Rose turned to the Doctor, taking in his fearful expression.

"Your mother," he murmured in her ear. "is going to _murder_ me, isn't she?"

Rose pursed her lips to stop the laughter that was bubbling in her chest. She decided not to give the Doctor or her mother the satisfaction of a response. Instead, she tugged the Doctor over to the kitchen table and began to help Mickey and Jake clean up.

"What's all this then?" she asked.

"Global environmental read-outs," Jake answered, taking a long swig from his coffee. He looked exhausted. "I was at Torchwood all last night gathering up data. Far as we can tell, things are slowly going back to normal. Temperature was down a few hundredths of a degree at least, and that's something."

"Once all the breaches are sealed, things should improve further," the Doctor told him, looking over some of the binders. "Not all of this data came from global weather reports," he observed.

"Thought you might need some of the info on the dimension hoppers and our satellites, if you're going to start looking for a gap in the universe. I put together everything I could get my hands on. Pete can help with the rest."

"Brilliant," the Doctor muttered, reaching into his inside pocket and pulling out his specs. "Any chance your satellites could be programmed to detect Harbringer Radiation?" He slid the glasses onto his nose and peered at a binder.

"Never heard of it," Jake replied.

The Doctor immediately started in on a long-winded explanation of who Joseph Harbringer was and why he happened to have radiation named after him. Rose, sensing that it could take a while, left the boys to talk shop and went to help her mother. Jackie was still holding a cheerful conversation with the lovely, polished woman Rose had noticed earlier.

"Rose, meet Gladys!" Jackie gestured. "She's Pete's personal shopper. Stopped by earlier to drop off everyone's clothes and things, almost had a heart attack when she saw me!"

"Pete never said what happened, my dear!" Gladys told her, eyes welling up again. "Everyone thought you were dead! To think, the only thing that you remembered from your trauma was your long-lost daughter! So funny, how the mind works. And then your memory comes back and you immediately return to your husband who had thought he lost you forever! A story straight out of one of my soaps!"

"I know, can you imagine!" Rose agreed cheerfully, raising an eyebrow at her mother. Jackie gave an 'oh, just go with it,' gesture with the spatula and began assembling dishes from the cupboards.

Pete, who had just clicked off his mobile, came over to where Jackie and Rose were putting the final touches on breakfast. "Well, that's settled. We have a meeting with my PR team this evening after dinner. We'll draft a release so you can get out and about without causing a fuss. We'd appreciate your discretion in the matter, Gladys."

Gladys mimicked zipping her lips. "They are sealed, Pete dear. Not a word."

"No doubt in my mind," he smiled. "Are you sure you won't join us for breakfast?"

"No, no, you all have plenty to be getting on with. No need for me to get in the way. Jackie, I am so pleased to see you safe and sound. And Rose, it was lovely to meet you. Perhaps next time you can introduce me to your gentleman friend over there."

Rose glanced over to the Doctor and sighed. He had the paperwork in one hand, the fingers of the others knuckle deep in a jar of strawberry jam. _How does he always manage to find the jam?_ she wondered. He noticed her watching as he brought his fingers to his lips, grinned and held them out to her in an offering.

Rose shook her head at him, exasperated, but the smile on her face was genuine. "Of course. Sorry, don't mind him, he's a bit rude. We'll see you soon enough, I'm sure."

"My regards to your mother, Pete dear," Gladys called, gathering the shopping bags into her hands. "I'll just deliver these and show myself out. Certainly hope after ten years I know the way!"

Once Gladys had left the kitchen, Jackie placed the eggs, bacon, and toast onto platters and called out, "All right, you lot, everyone come help me bring this all to the table! Nothing worse than cold eggs."

"Aw, do we have to?" Mickey whined.

"We're in the middle of very delicate work, Jackie," the Doctor told her. "Mickey and Jake are very important people, I'm sure we can't be bothered…"

The Doctor stopped short at Jackie's death glare, and opted to help rather than finish that sentence.

Rose nudged the Doctor as they each grabbed a platter and moved towards the table. "You boys all done then? Solved all the world's problems with a paperclip and a piece of string?"

The Doctor grinned at her. "And a piece of bubble gum. That's the reason you women can never save the world. You always forget the bubble gum."

Rose smacked him playfully on the arm. "Oi, sexist!"

"And joking," he replied, placing his platter on the table and kissing her gently on the cheek. "Forgive me?"

Rose beamed. "Always."

Once everyone was seated and had begun filling their plates, Jackie jumped up from the table. "Forgot something!"

Mickey and Jake groaned, and Jackie cast them a sharp look before passing a smaller plate to the Doctor. "Here you go. I remembered how you liked them on your toast. Go on, everyone."

Rose looked over at the plate and smiled. Jackie had sliced up a banana for him, indeed to place on top of his strawberry jam and toast. Rose could tell that the he was touched. After all, they hadn't had breakfast together in _months_. She wasn't surprised, it was just like her mother to recall such a detail. Still, she knew the Doctor wasn't used to people taking care of him, remembering how he took his toast or how he liked his tea.

Rose could practically see the cogs turning in his mind, trying to wrap his brain around her mother's thoughtfulness. Finally, he settled for a simple, "Thanks, Jackie."

She shrugged. "Figured you won me two hundred pounds. Least I can do is get your toast right."

Rose cast him a Look; the one that clearly said, "We _will_ be discussing that later." He swallowed and hurriedly began piling bacon, eggs, and toast on his plate.

* * *

><p>Breakfast conversation covered a variety of topics, including Mickey and Jake and their lives in this universe. It turned out that Mickey did stay at the mansion frequently, as he hadn't spent enough time in London to justify his own place. He did share with them that he had started scouring adverts for a flat the night before.<p>

"Can't deal with you lot making googly-eyes at each other. It was bad enough with you two on the TARDIS. Now you're all practically newlyweds. I don't need to be in the middle of all this."

Rose noticed Jackie's blush, adding to her suspicions about her mother's activities the night before, while the Doctor's seemed incredibly interested in his eggs.

Pete took the opportunity to turn towards Rose and the Doctor and change the subject. "Speaking of newlyweds, we have to get your paperwork in order today. Will you two be needing a marriage certificate?"

The Doctor, who had just taken a massive bite, began to cough furiously, while Rose blushed to a deep scarlet and thudded him awkwardly on the back.

"Well…the thing is…" he managed to choke out after a while.

Jackie looked murderous. "If you two got married without telling me, so help me _God..."_

"_Mum_!" Rose cut her off. "We're not married! And Pete, I think we'll be fine without. Just the basics for us."

"Driver's licenses, birth certificates, school records, et cetera," Pete rattled off, making notes on his mobile. "I certainly hope you both can drive. So, names? I assume you'll still want to be Rose Tyler, but we can't really put The Doctor on a driver's license. It's wholly unbelievable that anyone's parents could be _that_ eccentric. Any other ideas?"

The Doctor, whose airway had cleared nicely, waved his hand casually. "Oh, John Smith has always served me well enough. Why mess with perfection?"

"Quite right. Now we need to figure out where to put you in Torchwood so you can have access to everything you need. What exactly is your area of expertise, Doctor?"

"This and that really. Temporal physics is my forte, you could say. Though really, anything you need, I'm probably an expert in."

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Thinks he's God's gift, this one," Jackie murmured to no one in particular.

The Doctor ignored her. "We'll need access to any alien tech you've got stowed away. Chances are I can identify it and we might be able to get the hoppers working again. I'll also have to modify your satellites to detect certain types of energy and radiation consistent with a breach in the universe. Could take time, your technology is sorely lacking, but I am brilliant after all."

"And so modest," Rose added cheekily.

"What about you, Rose?" Pete asked, acknowledging her comment with a grin. "We could really use someone like you in the field. What do you say?"

Rose was stunned, and she locked eyes with the Doctor. She could tell he was just as curious about her answer as Pete was. She hadn't contemplated a real job in quite a while, not since she and the Doctor had been stuck on Krop Tor. Then they had escaped, and she had pushed those worries into the back of her mind. How many more times would they have to face something like that? Now, as seemed to be their luck, they were in a similar situation, trying to find a way back to the TARDIS despite all evidence to suggest that it was completely futile. Rose had no idea when and if they would be able to return home, but was it really necessary to waste time training for a job when she could be helping the Doctor? Plus, how would he see it? Would he think that she was giving up? Resigning herself to a life on this Earth with a job and a mortgage? Or, worst of all, would he think that she had lost her faith in him, in his ability to always bring her back home?

"Thanks, Pete, that's a really nice offer," she began. "But I think I'd just like to help the Doctor. Might be useful to have an extra hand with everything that needs doing. Plus, I'm the only one that manages to keep his head on his shoulders." She grinned at him.

"Oi!" the Doctor protested. "My head is firmly planted on my shoulders with or without you, Rose Tyler, and I resent the implication otherwise!"

"Oh, hush. No one else could deal with you, admit it. Plus, I already know how you take your tea."

"You do, yes," the Doctor admitted, eyes twinkling at her.

"Fair enough," Pete interjected. "Think about it though, Rose. And if you ever change your mind…"

"I know where you find you," Rose teased.

"Okay…and…done," Pete replied, making a final note on his mobile before tucking it into his pocket. "I have to warn you, Doctor, we only have jurisdiction over British airspace. Some branches of Torchwood are a bit…uptight. We would have to be very sneaky once the satellites start scanning for breaches."

"Sneaky we can do," Jake piped in, grinning. "Mickey can encrypt with the best of them. The Washington branch never did figure out that we were the ones who made their screens flash 'THE MOON RULEZ #1' for three hours."

"And let's keep it that way, shall we?" Pete replied brusquely, suddenly every inch the stern Boss Man. "Don't need the two of you causing an international incident…again."

"Yeah, like it wasn't your idea," Mickey retorted. "You were the one who chose the font, remember?"

"Yes, I remember," Pete responded quickly. He changed the subject to football, knowing perfectly well that no one in the room had any time to watch a match, and half of them weren't even from the same universe.

* * *

><p>Once the six of them had eaten their fill and cleared the table, Jake begged off, citing his exhaustion and desire to grab a nap before heading into work in the afternoon. Pete kissed Jackie on the cheek and went to get ready for work. The Doctor had decided to return to the guest wing, his nose buried in the various notebooks and folders Mickey and Jake had left behind. Rose couldn't tell if he was being unusually tactful in giving her time alone with her mother, or if the morning had nearly gone off the scale on his imaginary Domestics-O-Meter and he needed a moment alone to breathe.<p>

Jackie immediately turned to Rose once the Doctor was out of earshot. "Finally, I thought we'd never get a moment's peace. How are you doing, sweetheart? Are you okay? After everything that happened yesterday, I've been worried sick."

"You've gotta be joking. _You're _worried about _me?" _Rose asked, eyes wide. "I'm not the one who's suddenly shacked up with a parallel version of my dead husband! How are you even _thinking _about me in a time like this?"

"I'm your mum," Jackie stated simply. "'S my job to think about you. Although to be honest, not much about this situation could get any weirder, could it? "

Rose smiled widely at her mother. "Tell me about it. Did you and Pete get a chance to talk last night?"

She didn't miss the way Jackie blushed and couldn't quite meet her eye. She turned away from Rose and started fussing with the breakfast dishes. "Yeah, suppose so…"

Rose's mouth dropped open. "Oh my God, I knew it! You shagged him, didn't you?"

"Mind your manners," Jackie responded hurriedly as she set the pans to soak. "For your information, we did talk a bit. Still need to talk a bit more, but we go some things settled. I dunno, feels right somehow. He's the same, but still a bit different. Probably feels the same way about me."

"Yeah," Rose agreed.

"I tell you what, though," Jackie continued, eager for once to deflect the attention off of herself. "You and the Doctor sharing a room threw me a bit. I knew you couldn't be shagging. Mother's intuition. Still, never heard of a man wanting to share a bed and not get something out of it."

"Mum!" Rose exclaimed, entirely certain that this was _not _a subject she wanted to discuss in detail with her mother.

"What?" Jackie asked innocently. "You two can, though…_get _something out of it, right? If you wanted to? You're…compatible?"

"Oh, God, just kill me now," Rose muttered, palms pressed against her eyes. After the 'anything else he's got two of,' conversation they'd had on Christmas, she hadn't thought it could get any worse. Clearly she was wrong. "Honestly, Mum, we're not like that. We've kissed. That's it."

"Well, how am I supposed to know? He's an alien! 'S why I'm asking! For all I know he could reproduce by ramming his ovapositor down your throat and laying eggs in your chest or something."

Rose was horrified. "Where on Earth did you get that one from?"

"Oh, I dunno. Read it in the rags I think, Really, Rose, I just want to make sure you're being _careful_!" She paused. "He hasn't _tried _ramming his ovapositor down your throat, has he?"

"He hasn't got an ovapositor, Mum!" Rose answered, frustrated. "He's human enough, but really, this is not the time to think about…_reproducing! _There are more important things going on!"

"Fine, keep your secrets. I'll get it out of you eventually. So you'll be sharing a room? Permanently?"

"For as long as we're here. I think the Doctor just needs the proximity. I dunno, the whole situation has thrown him a bit more than he's letting on, I can tell. He's always been real affectionate with me, but it's felt…different since yesterday. Feels like he just wants me close…more so than usual, y'know?"

"Is that 'cause he's missing his ship, or 'cause he almost lost you?"

Rose almost instinctively answered flippantly that it was a bit of both, but stopped, her heart beginning to pound hard in her chest. Her mother's comment had certainly hit home. In all Rose's exhaustion the previous night and all the activity and chaos that morning, she hadn't been able to take a moment to process all that had happened. They had come _so_ close to losing one another. If Pete hadn't hopped back at the last moment…

Rose swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat and began talking quickly as she eased her way out of the kitchen. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the need to see the Doctor, to hug him, to make sure that he was still _there_. "Mum, I should…start getting ready. Shower and all. Put away my clothes, too. Don't need the Doctor going through my knickers. I'm glad you're doing okay, really."

"You too, dear," Jackie answered, not fooled in the slightest. "Go take care of your man. See you back here in a bit."

* * *

><p>The Doctor had just finished sonic-ing his suit jacket clean when Rose burst into the room, slightly frantic, her eyes scanning the room for him. Before he could ask what was wrong, she had crossed the room and flung herself into his arms.<p>

"Hey," he murmured, dropping his sonic and his jacket and wrapping his arms around her. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

Rose sniffed and buried her nose against his chest, breathing in his scent. She was quiet for a moment before speaking.

"I almost lost you yesterday," she whispered.

The Doctor tightened his hold on her. "I almost lost _you _yesterday," he retorted.

Rose laughed weakly. "Let's not do that again, shall we?"

He smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I will do everything in my power."

"Promise?"

He tilted her chin up so their eyes met. His hands moved to cradle her jaw as their lips met in a gentle kiss. Nearly bursting with emotion, he broke the kiss and pressed their foreheads together, cursing himself for not being able to say the words he so desperately wanted to at that moment. Instead, he whispered, "I promise," and pulled her into his embrace once more.


	5. Chapter 4

Rose eventually dragged herself out of the Doctor's embrace to get ready for Torchwood. Pete had suggested "business" attire, and Rose had groaned inwardly. Henrik's had only required management and sales floor representatives to dress professionally, not lowly clerks like her. Her most recent job of saving the universe generally demanded comfort above all else. Heels and form-fitting suits were not conducive to running for one's life.

Upon sifting through the numerous bags of clothing, she was relieved to see much of her preferred style of casual, practical clothing. However, she didn't find much there that was appropriate for a day at the office except a smart black pencil skirt and blazer combination; it was sharing a garment bag with several pinstriped suits in various color combinations. She regretfully fingered a fine black wool patterned with grey that Rose knew would never see the light of day if the Doctor had anything to say about it.

She managed to find a trendy, lace-trimmed camisole in one of the shopping bags that made her outfit feel considerably younger and she brought the entire ensemble into the bathroom to prepare for the day. She showered, blew her hair out straight and sleek and applied light makeup due to necessity, as there wasn't much beyond the basics in the bags of toiletries. Sighing and feeling completely out of her element, she exited the ensuite. A pair of conservative black pumps were waiting by the wardrobe and as she slipped her feet into them, she considered which limb she would exchange for a pair of jeans and her trainers.

As she straightened up, Rose felt the Doctor's arms circle around her waist from behind. He pulled her close to his body and nuzzled against her neck, placing gentle kisses anywhere he could reach. Her knees went a bit wobbly at his ministrations, and she was very grateful for his strong arms supporting her.

"You…look…_lovely_," he breathed in between kisses.

Rose grinned and turned in his arms for a proper kiss on the mouth. "Thank you," she replied. "I feel sort of ridiculous. Not exactly the 'business casual' type."

"Oh, I dunno," the Doctor replied. Grasping her hand, he extended his arm and encouraged her to twirl before him. He smiled at her. "I think it _suits_ you." He waggled his eyebrows playfully.

Rose rolled her eyes and laughed. "You're _so_ lucky you're cute," she told him, pulling him close yet again. "Speaking of, I like your tie." She fingered the fine silk, patterned with alternating stripes in various shades of blue. He had also changed his Oxford, the light blue replacing the white he'd been wearing since yesterday.

"Gladys knows how to pick 'em," he replied, placing his hands on hers where they lay against his lapels.

Rose sighed, the familiar touch of their hands calming her immensely. She chanced a look at his face, noting the dark circles under his eyes and how his normally barely-there frown lines and crow's feet seemed more pronounced. He looked _tired_.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Rose asked.

"Nah," he replied, a touch too casually. "I don't need as much sleep as you humans do. A third of your life, really? So many better things to do with your time. Granted, there wasn't much I could actually _do, _not without a great deal of specialized I was working some theories and calculations out. Very boring and technical, you wouldn't like it at all."

"Yeah, I appreciate you letting me sleep through it," Rose agreed. "Really, though, Doctor, tell me…are you alright?"

He brought her hands to his mouth, kissing her knuckles delicately. While he had always been affectionate with her, even more so since she had first kissed him, she was a bit confused by how demonstrative he had been since the day before. Certainly it was welcome, she would never refuse his touch, but he had never been one to need constant contact. He was generally more reserved than this, and she could tell that despite his cheerful and unflappable persona, something was bothering him more than he was trying to let her see. It reminded her of before, when he had been all ears and blue eyes and hidden pain, never wanting to let her know how deeply it ran. Coupled with the fact that he looked as though he'd not slept in weeks (for him, at least), Rose knew he wasn't telling her everything.

She would not be held responsible for her actions if he pulled the _I'm always alright _card.

"I'm always alright, Rose," he told her.

Something in her snapped. "No, you're not," she retorted hotly, pulling her hands out of his and placing them on her hips. "I can tell. You're acting all cheerful and unaffected, but I know you. And you're…off."

"How on Earth am I 'off'?" the Doctor asked her. "I'm exactly the same, because I'm _fine_, Rose. Don't worry about me."

"That's part of it," she told him. "I know it. You don't want me to worry. Tough. I'm going to worry, whether you want me to or not. Shall I make you a list? First of all, there's the TARDIS. She's all you've got, and she's in _another universe, _Doctor! I refuse to believe that everything is unicorn giggles right now! Not to mention the fact that you've barely let go of me the entire time we've been here. I'm surprised you let me shower by myself. This isn't like you…needy, clingy."

"I need a reason to touch you now?" he answered, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

"Don't turn this around on me! You know you can touch me anytime you want. Have I ever complained before? But you aren't acting like yourself and I just want you to be willing to _talk _to me about it instead of locking it away in your big old Time Lord brain, thinking you have to deal with everything on your own! I'm _right here, _Doctor! And I'm involved in this, too!"

The Doctor rubbed his hands over his face. She was right, of course. He didn't want her to worry about him, that was part of it. But there was more to it, of course. How could he explain to her that touching her was practically the only thing keeping him sane? How uncomfortable he was that his psychic connection to the TARDIS was dwindling and how he was going completely spare without her reassuring presence in his mind? The beginning, he supposed, would be best.

"I don't want to disappoint you," he finally admitted, pulling her hands away from her hips and holding them in his. "There's no guarantee that I can get us back. I'm worried that what I keep saying is impossible really _is _impossible and, if I can't do it, you'll lose faith in me. You'll think less of me, because I can't get us out of this."

Rose opened her mouth to respond, but the Doctor touched a finger to her lips. "Hold on, I'm on a roll. I didn't realize how much I was invading your space until now. The truth is, I can't feel the TARDIS like I normally can. It's unnerving, having a presence in your head for centuries and, suddenly, it's a ghost of what it should be. I'm worried if I can't get us home that once the last holes in the universe close, so will our connection. Touching you makes it a little easier. My people were touch telepaths, and physical contact was needed for making a, well…_intimate _connection with someone. I'm not in your head or anything, I wouldn't do that without permission, but I can _feel _you stronger, mentally, when we're touching. Oh, I'm rubbish at explaining this, aren't I?"

"No, I think I get it," Rose answered. "And if you're quite finished, I have a few things to say to you."

"Let me have it," he told her, grinning weakly.

She returned his smile. "Oh, I will. First of all, _nothing _you do will make me lose my faith in you. You act like I have you up on this pedestal where you can do no wrong and can always save the world. I've seen you at your weakest and your strongest, and I'm still here, yeah? The good, the bad, and all the bits in between. You can cock things up just like the rest of us, and I'm still gonna be here. Forever, remember?"

"I do," he replied. "Sometimes I don't understand it, especially after having your face sucked off by a sentient TV program. Not to say I'm not grateful…"

Rose grinned at him. "Good. 'Cause I mean it. You carry the weight of the universe on your shoulders, Doctor. I can't ever know what that's like, but I can make it so you don't have to do it alone. Let me in once in a while. I promise you, admitting that you're scared and worried isn't going to make me up and leave!"

The Doctor sighed. "I'll…try, Rose. I'm sorry, that's all I can give you at this point. You forget how old I am, and how much of that time I've spent alone. Even when I had company, very few of my companions _cared _about me the way you do. You're amazing, Rose. Every day, you amaze me."

Rose grinned. "That's me, Ms. Amazing. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound and keep unruly Time Lords in line."

"Exactly!" he smiled tenderly at her, cupping her face. "Sometimes, you're all that makes sense. I'm terrified that I'll lose you before I'm ready, and what it would do to me. I have the power to tear universes apart, to change history and destroy entire races. Add mad with grief to all that?" He shuddered. "There's no telling what I might do."

Rose didn't want to think about it. Obviously, they were together. There was no need to dwell. "Well, we'll just have to make sure to keep me around, yeah?"

The Doctor's smile broadened. He couldn't help himself, he absolutely adored this girl. He regarded her, a soft and affectionate look on his face before he kissed her gently but thoroughly. His hands wove gently into her hair, pulling her as close to him as he could manage.

When they broke apart, Rose opened her eyes slowly and rewarded him with a brilliant smile. "Good, glad we're settled, then."

She maneuvered delicately out of the Doctor's embrace, checking her appearance in the vanity before meeting Pete and Mickey downstairs. She groaned, taking in her rumpled hair and smudged lipstick. She looked, for lack of a better description, thoroughly snogged.

"Can't believe you almost let me leave the house like this," she mumbled, running a brush through her hair and rubbing off the rest of her lipstick with a tissue. "I can never wear lipstick around you again, can I?"

The Doctor grinned. "Nope," he answered smugly. "No love loss there. I prefer the natural taste of your lips to wax and chemical pigments, anyway. Leaves a funny aftertaste…like…soy?" He leaned in and kissed her once more, deciding thoroughness was very necessary. "I can't really place it. You're prettier without it, anyway. Why you would want to cover up that gorgeous pink mouth is just beyond me…"

He was cut off by the press of said mouth against his, the sweet tang of Rose's natural flavor and hint of mint toothpaste invading his senses and making his mind go blissfully blank. Her tongue moved languidly against his, her arms automatically crossing around his neck and pulling him as close as she could.

The Doctor had just begun contemplating how much spare time they had for activities beyond mere kissing when Rose broke away, cheeks flushed but grinning cheekily at him.

"Well, no doubt time to meet Mickey and Pete. How do you feel about breaking some international protocols?"

The Doctor, quick to recover from his lusty haze, returned her smile. "With you? Always." He reached out a hand and wagged his fingers at her, which she grasped in her own as they made their way to the foyer.

* * *

><p>Torchwood London wasn't nearly as polished and corporate as the one in their original universe, but it was certainly still impressive. Staff bustled about, some in casual field attire and others in business suits or lab coats. According to Pete, the organization occupied the top five floors of the skyscraper. It was all very restrictive, requiring keycards and pass codes to access the different departments, so Pete signed the Doctor and Rose in as his own personal guests, leading them on a whirlwind tour of all five floors. His office took up most of the top floor, and after gawking a bit at the fantastic view, Pete showed them to the third floor. Passing his keycard through the slot, he ushered them into the department in charge of programming and monitoring their satellites.<p>

"Morning, everyone!" Pete announced. They all greeted him casually, leading Rose to believe that Pete was a frequent visitor to the department. "This is Rose and Dr. John Smith. I've brought them in as consultants to the Parallel Earth project, and they need to do a bit of fiddling with the satellites. We need a more detailed view of the climate changes, and they're experts. Help them with whatever they need. If you have any trouble, come let me know?"

"Yes, sir," Rose mock-saluted him, and Pete smiled at her.

He leaned in close to the Doctor and whispered, "I'm off to get your paperwork in order. With any luck, it will be ready this afternoon. Come find me when you're done."

"Will do," he murmured back. Pete left the room, and the Doctor turned to face the room. "Hello, everyone! Just call me the Doctor. Now, I believe I need a computer station…"

* * *

><p>Over the next several hours, the Doctor worked fervently at his computer terminal, frequently giving Rose commands to input in the computer next to his. He was muttering under his breath, technical phrases that Rose couldn't even begin to understand.<p>

Eventually, the Doctor turned to her with an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry, Rose, I'll have to take care of this next part on my own. It's extremely intricate."

She rubbed his shoulder affectionately. "Don't worry about it. I was starting to get a headache from staring at those tiny numbers anyway. Cup of tea?"

"Please," he replied absently, already engrossed in his work.

The kettle was electric, a simple matter of filling with water and pushing a button. Once Rose had set it to boil, she thought she might go and sit with the Doctor for a bit, but instead turned around to a tall, good-looking gentleman standing directly behind her. He was tall, broad-shouldered and had movie-star good looks reminiscent of Captain Jack Harkness. He was dressed in a polo and khaki pants, and Rose would probably have thought him passably attractive if she wasn't practically choking on the thick, cloying stench of his cologne.

He gave her a lopsided smile, clearly meant to enthrall her, but instead it just seemed annoying. "Hey, Rose, right?"

"Yeah," she said, taking a small step to the side to give herself some room to breathe.

"I'm Elliot," he told her, sticking out his hand. Rose shook it, more out of polite obligation than anything else. "So, you two work for Torchwood or another organization?"

Rose sighed, glancing over at the pot. Had it stopped heating? Nope, still going. "We're sort of…freelancers, actually. Pete-I mean, Mr. Tyler needed the Doctor's expertise on the project."

"Fascinating," Elliot breathed dramatically. Rose resisted rolling her eyes. "Been here for five years now, since I left Cambridge. Recruited me, actually. Funny story…"

Rose sighed. Slowest. Kettle. _Ever._

* * *

><p>The Doctor should have been concentrating on his encryption. After all, one character off could spell disaster for the entire project. However, currently his entire focus was centered on the young man blithely chatting up Rose, dropping hint after hint of his intelligence and high breeding.<p>

The Doctor snorted. Rose didn't fall for such pretension. She was better than that. Still, he didn't like the tone of his voice, the subtle way he was leaning towards her, the way he grabbed her tea, enquiring about her preferred amount of sugar and cream…

Ah, there it was. A lunch invitation. Rose immediately declined, citing her work with the Doctor and how he would most likely need her to stay through lunch. He waited for the next part of the conversation, where she confirmed that the two of them were…_involved._

It didn't come. She simply told Elliot to have a good lunch and returned to their temporary base of operations, two mugs of tea clutched in her hands. The young man looked disappointed as he followed his colleagues to the cafeteria. Very quickly, the Doctor and Rose were left entirely alone.

He wasn't sure how to feel. It wasn't like Rose had implied that she was single. But was she? They had never defined their relationship. Certainly he considered them "together." But did she?

_Humans, _he huffed internally. _Need labels for everything, they do. Better get this conversation over with._

"Here, Doctor. Two sugars."

"Thanks," he muttered, pretending to be completely engrossed in what was happening on the computer screen, and _not _in what had occurred with Elliot.

"So," he began nonchalantly. "You never said, did Pete and Jackie come up with a good cover story for you?"

"Yeah, I suppose," Rose answered absently. She peered at the screen. "What's all this, then?"

"Oh, basic Crepellian encryption methods. Not important." _More important things to discuss at the moment, _he added internally. "So, what are they going to tell everyone?"

"Something about Mum experiencing selective amnesia after the Cybermen attacks. Sounds ridiculous, but it's not like anyone will guess the real story, right?"

"Not likely," the Doctor responded, spinning in the desk chair so he could face Rose fully. It was a testament to how important he viewed their discussion that he refrained from making a snaky remark about Jackie and memory loss. "What about me?"

"Hmm?" Rose asked, turning away from the computer. "What about you?"

"Well, I assume there will be…questions. You know, about me, you…us…our relationship status…"

Rose grinned. "Since when do you care about people asking questions?"

"I don't!" he protested quickly, his voice hitching slightly. "Just curious. I have to know the story if I'm gonna be sticking to it, right?"

"Good point. I dunno, I guess the easiest thing is just to call you my…_boyfriend._" She wrinkled her nose distastefully at the term.

"Oho! And just what is _that _face all about, Rose Tyler?" the Doctor asked her.

"Well, first of all, you _hate _that term."

"What? When did I _ever _give you that idea?"

Rose stared at him disbelievingly for a moment before putting on a masculine voice, a Northern accent, and a completely disgusted tone, "'Stupid _boyfriend.' _'He's your _boyfriend.' _'You and your _boyfriends._' Any of this ringing a bell?"

"Oi!" he exclaimed. "I resent being compared to Mickey. Or Adam. Or any of your other boyfriends, for that matter. I am completely in my own league." He grinned at her, letting her know he was teasing. "Any other reason?"

"'S just kind of…I don't know…trivializing? Maybe?" she answered thoughtfully. "I mean, it's definitely not good enough. Not sure there's any word out there good enough for what you are to me, but on that hand, I guess it's as good as any. Not like it matters much. They could call you my Sugar Daddy and I wouldn't care. Doesn't change that it's just you and me, right?"

The Doctor was stunned at her admission. He knew she cared about him, but to that extent? He had no idea.

Rather than let it get uncomfortable, he decided to deflect it with humor. "Now _that's _a new one. Nine hundred years old and I've never been called a Sugar Daddy before. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever been a boyfriend before." He paused. "Oh, God, I'll probably be rubbish at it, won't I?

"Without a doubt," Rose teased. "It'll be a disaster. Good thing I don't think of you like that."

"Yeah?" the Doctor asked. "Then what will you tell the next eager young bloke who asks you to lunch?"

Rose grinned, her expression triumphant. He froze. How did she always manage to get him to play right into her hands? He could kick himself.

"Some things never change, eh?" she told him, tongue peeking out from between her teeth. "I'll politely decline, like I did with Elliot. Don't know if you know this, Doctor, but it's considered rude to state your relationship status immediately after someone asks you to lunch."

"Well, you know me…rude," he said. "Not ginger, et cetera. We've already established this. And if they persist?"

"I tell them the truth. That I have someone."

The Doctor considered this. "_Someone," _he tried out. "Oh, I like that, _someone._ Very…early Americana. _Goodnight, my Someone…The Music Man? Love _that show!Remember, Rose, that American high school production we took in? Complete rubbish of course. Funny, though, when that kid playing Harold Hill fell off the stage. _Someone Like You…_Rod Stewart, can't beat it! Oh, don't forget _I've Finally Found Someone." _He paused for a second and shuddered. "Okay, changed my mind, you can forget that one. Poor Bryan Adams and Barbara Streisand. Lovely sentiment, but the execution was _horrible…"_

Rose leaned forward and chose the most effective way to shut him up. She silenced him with a kiss. The Doctor was beginning to suspect that she was finding too many opportunities to use this tactic to her advantage. Still, as her lips moved against his, he couldn't find it in him to care. He simply cradled her face in his hands and threw himself into the kiss.

Rose broke away first, no doubt aware that the entire department could return from lunch any moment to find them snogging away. Her face was still encased in his hands, and he smiled softly at her.

"My someone," he murmured, kissing her gently on the nose.

"_My _someone," she countered.

His smile widened. "Quite right." He kissed her lightly once more before scooting his chair back to the computer, just in time for the personnel to start filing back into the room. Rose shot him a devastating grin over the top of her mug and turned her attention back to the computer screen.


	6. Chapter 5

There wasn't much else for Rose to do for the rest of the day, as the Doctor had taken over the rest of the programming on his own. She brought sandwiches and cup after cup of tea, but the rest of her day generally consisted of watching the Doctor type furiously and occasionally mutter to himself. It was so much like another day on the TARDIS, Rose keeping him company while he did repairs. Even Rose's train of thought was similar; drawing those adorable glasses slowly away from his face, kissing her way across cheekbones, down his jaw, over his neck…

"Ha!" the Doctor's exclamation jerking her out of the daydream. "Step one complete!" He pushed his chair away from the desk enthusiastically, practically leaped to his feet and pulled Rose to hers. She fell into his embrace, laughing as he spun her around jubilantly.

"Put me down!" she demanded, still smiling. "I take it you've finished?"

"Oh, yes!" He set her feet on the floor, but didn't remove his arms from around her. She opted not to mention it. "Satellite is programmed, encrypted, and practically invisible to other nosey Torchwood branches. Ready? Up high!"

He raised his hand up for a high-five, but lowered it quickly, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Okay, _never_ doing that again. Really, though, Rose, I've even surprised myself with this one! Reprogramming a major satellite with no energy references or coordinates, all the while handsome men trying to put the moves on my woman? _Not to mention _sub-par 21st Century technology? All in under…" he glanced at the wall clock behind Rose. "…nine hours? Impressive. Tea was excellent, too. You are a _wonder_, Rose Tyler!"

Rose laughed, before she realized what he had said. "Wait, nine hours? It's past six already? No wonder everyone's gone for the day! C'mon, let me clear up here and we can go find Pete."

She started to straighten their mess at the computer terminal while the Doctor gaped at her.

"Rose!" he practically whined. "Aren't you _impressed?"_

She turned and fixed him with an indulgent smile. "Of, course, dear. You're very impressive. We just have to get going. Mum's cooking and we've got that PR meeting at eight. I promise, I'll sing your praises after."

"Oh, we have to be there for that?" The Doctor scrunched up his nose.

"Well, yeah, we need to know what we're telling people."

"I meant dinner."

Rose rolled her eyes. "God, the way you're carrying on you'd think I was dragging you out to have your puppy put down. Yes, we have to be there for dinner _and _the meeting. Then I promise, we're free for the rest of the night." She took his hand and led him towards the lifts.

"We could make such better use of that time, Rose!" the Doctor protested. "For example, I need to build a remote transmitter and connect it to the satellite. We can't be at Torchwood all the time, and I want to be notified if it detects anything. Plus, I absolutely _must _tinker with the dimension hoppers, make sure they'll work a bit more efficiently, maybe even make it so we can travel through a smaller tear between worlds. I need to adapt the lever technology into something portable so, if the scanners do pick up small tears, we can go and patch up the holes. And all of these things take _time, _Rose! Which I could have more of _without _dinner with your mother and drafting a press release."

"Doctor, you've been staring at that monitor for the last nine hours. You're gonna go cross-eyed! Save something for tomorrow, yeah?"

He huffed. "Time Lords can't go cross-eyed, Rose."

Rose tutted sympathetically. He looked so adorably put-out at the implication that she couldn't help herself. She touched her fingertips to his cheek, rose up on her tiptoes, and lightly grazed her lips over his.

"Poor Doctor," she breathed against his mouth. The lift dinged behind them, and Rose led them in.

"Hmm?" he asked absently. "Now why would you say something like that?"

Rose giggled, pushed the button for the fifth floor, and turned to kiss the Doctor properly.

* * *

><p>Despite his earlier triumph with the satellites and an absolutely delightful elevator snog, the Doctor felt more and more on edge as the evening progressed. He'd nearly had an anxiety attack when Pete had presented paperwork to him and Rose. Logically, he knew it was necessary, since they would be spending so much time at Torchwood, but it didn't help him feel any less trapped. Dr. John Smith now had a driver's license, social security number (they didn't have NIN numbers in this universe, apparently), credit history, a bank account, and two doctorates from Oxford. Dr. Smith was thirty two years old, had written a variety of articles for science magazines around the world, and had been dating Rose Tyler for five years.<p>

Staring at the manila envelope in his hands, he felt the walls of the universe closing in. If he were human, he'd be hyperventilating.

As if that wasn't enough, he had been sensing a slow decline in his connection with the TARDIS throughout the evening. While it had started as a fuzzy, it now seemed to be only intermittent, evidence that any holes in the universe were closing and he and the TARDIS would not be able to connect once the walls were sealed. This knowledge, coupled with the brief break-ups in their contact was leaving him snappish and on edge, and he was reigning in his temper a great deal to avoid seeming cross with Rose, Jackie, and Pete.

It didn't help that the three of them were getting on famously. Even on the car ride back to the mansion, Pete and Rose had bantered like old friends. Currently, they were seated at the dinner table enjoying a surprisingly edible dinner of roast and steamed vegetables, Jackie and Rose regaling Pete with stories from Rose's childhood. Jackie seemed gloriously content, as if she couldn't believe that her family was whole again. Rose was completely at ease, sipping from her glass of red wine and happily participating in the conversation. Pete looked at the two women at the table with adoration and amazement.

It was putting the Doctor even further on edge, seeing right before his eyes how easily Rose was acclimating. This universe's energy seemed to be bending around the three Tylers, as if it desperately wanted the harmony that they were bringing to Pete's life. He knew it could be the reason they seemed so comfortable so quickly, and the thought that Rose might actually be _happy _here was making him nervous.

What if they managed to find a way home, but she decided to stay here? She had her mum, her dad (_sort of_) and her best friend in this universe. Pete had more than enough money and generosity to take her and Jackie as a package deal. Jackie wouldn't give Rose up without a fight, he was certain of this. The thought of Rose staying in another universe while he returned to the TARDIS and the life they shared…well…the idea held significantly less appeal when he viewed it like that.

The doorbell rang as they were finishing dessert, and Pete excused himself to answer it. Jackie set about preparing tea, while Rose moved to clear away her and the Doctor's ice cream dishes. She noted that his was still practically filled with the half-melted concoction.

"Are you okay, Doctor?" she asked quietly. Returning the bowls to the table, she gently cupped his cheek in her hand and guided his face upwards to look at her.

He relaxed significantly into her touch, the hard tension in his face practically melting with the skin-to-skin contact. He nuzzled her palm, placing a kiss in the center before returning his gaze to her eyes.

"Just thinking too much. You know me, Time Lord brain going a mile a minute."

"You didn't eat your dessert," she gently chided him.

He looked surprised at this, glancing down at the nearly full dish in front of him. Quickly, he picked it up and downed the half-melted contents in one gulp. "Yes, I did."

Rose laughed, and he relaxed further. "You started to worry me there, Doctor." She picked up their dishes once more to place in the sink and, after ensuring that her mother was fine preparing the tea, she returned to the table and pulled the Doctor from his chair. She led him out of the kitchen, down a small flight of stairs and into a dark corridor. Before the Doctor could even ask what Rose was doing, she pushed him gently against the wall and her lips closed over his.

He hadn't realized how starved he was for her touch until that moment, when all he could do was throw himself into the kiss as though she was his oasis in the middle of the desert.

The Doctor's normally mile-a-minute thoughts completely screeched to a halt at the feel of Rose's fingers in his hair. The sensations were incredible, and he couldn't keep from groaning against her mouth. Rose took the opportunity to slide her tongue past his lips and entwine it with his. This alone elicited another round of incoherent whimpers, at least from both parties this time. His hands wound around her waist, pulling her body flush again his and she moaned lightly, the small sound shooting white-hot fire through the Doctor's body and his kiss doubled in its fervency.

Things were quickly escalating, and the Doctor felt he had no control over his actions. His hands slid underneath Rose's t-shirt, gently tracing the skin just above the waistband of her jeans, a bit disappointed that she had immediately changed out of her devastating business suit upon returning to the mansion. She hissed at his cool touch, but gripped his hair harder as her lips and tongue worked intensely against his. He was soaring, devouring her mouth and working his hands against any skin he could reach. Rose had untangled her hands from his hair and managed to dip her hands underneath his Oxford. The feel of her tracing feather-light touches against his waist was enough to make him groan anew and buck his hips against her.

She broke away first, whispering his name as he kissed his way down her neck and into the V at her neckline. Her breathing was rapidly increasing, matching the fluttering heart rate that pulsed against his lips. His own hearts were racing, his breath was coming in rapid puffs between kisses, and his grip on her waist tightened as he contemplated the mechanics of switching their positions and taking her roughly against the wall.

"Oh, where did those two run off to? Rose, Doctor! The meeting's about to start! Come meet us in the parlor!" Jackie's voice called from the top of the stairs before her footsteps faded from earshot.

The Doctor groaned into Rose's neck, ceasing his attentions but not loosening his grip on her waist. On the contrary, he pulled her tighter against him, whispering her name against her throat, his hearts swelling with adoration. How did she always manage to know _exactly _what he needed? Despite the discomfort in his trousers, her touch had done a great deal for his mood and he felt better than he had all evening.

Rose's chest was rising and falling rapidly with her heavy breaths. She stroked her hands gently against his back in a gesture meant to calm rather than ignite while she attempted to get her own body under control. Her face was pressed into his hair, and he could feel her panting against his scalp.

"We'd better get upstairs," she finally whispered after her heart rate had slowed to a far more acceptable level.

"Mmmm," the Doctor murmured, not removing his head from her chest. "This is better."

Rose giggled. "No arguments here. But Mum will come looking for us if we ignore her. I promise, we can continue this later."

"I'll hold you to that." Reluctantly, the Doctor pulled away from Rose and the pair attempted to make themselves look a bit more presentable.

"All right?" Rose asked, grasping his hand and giving it an affectionate squeeze.

"Always," he responded, squeezing back and allowing Rose to lead them into the parlor.

* * *

><p>Rose and the Doctor entered the parlor hand-in-hand. Jackie gave them a knowing look, and Rose blushed scarlet before leading them over to sit on the loveseat, perpendicular to where Pete and Jackie were situated on the sofa. The two comfy armchairs across from the sofa were currently occupied by a young, professional man and woman who were sipping tea and looking intimidated.<p>

The Doctor, who hadn't actually interacted with the Jackie Tyler of this universe but had heard about her through Rose, could surmise why the pair seemed uncomfortable. However, from what he could tell, this Jackie was completely different from the one they had known so long ago. She was currently clad in a pair of track bottoms and a long-sleeved t-shirt and was tucked comfortably into Pete's side with her bare feet curled underneath her. Nothing about her screamed "society wife." It was as if she was a completely different person.

However, no one else needed to know that.

"Now that we're all here, we can begin. Thanks for coming by on such short notice," Pete told the pair. "You obviously remember my wife, Jackie? Jackie, do you remember Alex and Ella? The head of the PR team?"

"No, I'm sorry, I don't," Jackie played her part well. "I had an awful time of it after the Cybermen. I didn't even remember my Pete for three years! Can you imagine?"

Alex and Ella looked relieved. "We're glad to see you back, Mrs. Tyler," Alex told her politely.

"Please, call me Jackie, none of this Mrs. Tyler business."

The pair looked at one another, shocked. "Yes, Jackie, of course," Ella stammered.

"And this," Pete said, gesturing to the loveseat. "Is our…daughter. Rose. She came back with Jackie. This is her boyfriend, Dr. John Smith."

"Hello!" the Doctor interjected jovially, leaning over to shake hands. "Rose's boyfriend, that's me. It's just the Doctor, though."

"I need to take some notes," Ella mumbled, pulling out a touch-pad computer. "Okay, so…what _exactly _happened after the Cybermen attacks, Jackie?"

Jackie launched into their rehearsed story, that she had nearly been in the conversion chamber when the ear pods stopped working. In all of the mayhem and trauma, Jackie had been knocked to the ground, unconscious, and had woken up only remembering her own name and the daughter that she and her husband had given up for adoption. At eighteen years old and not even married yet, they felt it was the best choice. Of course, she hadn't even known _who _her husband was, but had managed to find Rose and had been living with her and John for the last three years.

The Doctor shuddered at the thought.

"And then, one day, you just got your memories back?" Alex asked disbelievingly.

"Selective amnesia, the doctors said," Pete answered. "But she's improving, should remember more and more of her old life as she settles in. Surrounded by familiar things helps, right, Jacks?"

"It does, Pete," she smiled at him, and he bent to kiss her cheek.

"More in love than ever, I see," Ella observed.

"And what about you two?" Alex turned to Rose and the Doctor. "What's your stories? Everyone's going to want to know about you."

"Oh, we're not anything special," Rose admitted. "Grew up in London, didn't even know I was adopted until this mad lady showed up on my doorstep. The Doctor here did the DNA tests himself."

"So, you're a…scientist?" Ella asked, still tapping furiously on her computer.

"A bit of a dabbler, really," the Doctor answered, casually putting his arm around Rose's shoulders. "PhDs in both Physics and Astrophysics, that's where the Doctor comes from. This one gave me the nickname, though, and it kinda stuck." He beamed at Rose.

"This is all just so…unbelievable," Alex told them, sitting back and placing a hand to his forehead as if warding off a headache. "Really, _really _unbelievable. Like, if I weren't seeing it right in front of me, I wouldn't even…"

"Believe it?" the Doctor finished for him.

"Exactly." Alex sighed. "Do we have DNA test results to publish? People are going to be chomping at the bit to label Rose as a gold digger. Some people might even say that Jackie is a fake. We really need some irrefutable proof before we go public with this."

"We can get it for you," Pete offered. "First thing tomorrow. We'll go into Torchwood and get the tests done."

"I wouldn't recommend that, Pete," Ella warned. "The tests need to be seen as unbiased, and with you heading Torchwood and all…"

"Good point," Pete agreed. "Is there an independent lab who can send a representative here? I don't want Jackie out and about too much until we can get this release done…"

"Looking right now…" Ella replied, still not looking up from her little computer.

The Doctor suddenly started in his seat, a slight jolt to his psyche making him wince. His connection to the TARDIS had once again blinked out, and he felt a momentary burst of panic. Even as her presence resolved itself in his mind, he began to yet again feel restless and suddenly was very annoyed with the tedious proceedings. He nudged Rose, eager to get away for a bit. After all, they'd given their version of the story. Anything else could surely wait until the morning.

"What?" she hissed at him. "'S rude to talk while others are talking."

"Can we go?" he murmured back in her ear. "I don't think they need us anymore. Pete can fill us in tomorrow."

"_Doctor!_" she scolded. "We really should be here. Be supportive. Mum appreciates it."

"I doubt she cares whether or not I'm here."

"Of course she cares!"

A throat clearing interrupted their argument before it could escalate. The Doctor and Rose turned to find Jackie, Pete, Alex, and Ella all staring at them.

"We interrupting something?" Jackie asked, raising an eyebrow.

The Doctor huffed. "Nothing at all. I was just telling Rose that it really was about time we turned in. Loads of important things to do tomorrow. Alex, Ella, lovely to meet you. Jackie, Pete, always a pleasure. Rose," he grasped her elbow as he rose off the loveseat, bringing her with him.

Rose glared daggers at him as he led them out of the room. Immediately, she wrenched her arm out of his grip. "You. Outside. _Now._"

* * *

><p>Rose was just about at her wit's end. The Doctor's moods were so unpredictable. One moment it was as though nothing was wrong, the next he was snappish and irritated with seemingly no trigger for the shift. She couldn't imagine what he was going through, being a universe away from the TARDIS and not experiencing the same level of their connection that he was used to, but really. She couldn't take it anymore.<p>

Rose turned to the Doctor and started in on him. "_What _is going on here? Under no circumstances, no matter what is going on in your huge brain, are you _ever _allowed to manhandle me like that! What has gotten into you?"

"Oh, please," the Doctor rolled his eyes. "You're being a bit dramatic. I would hardly call that 'manhandling.' It was more 'gently guiding.'"

"Call it whatever you want, you're not to do it again unless it's a life-or-death situation, do you understand? And really, you couldn't sit still for a half hour meeting? I know you generally have the attention span of a seven-year-old hypoglycemic kid with a can of Coke and a Snickers bar, but come on, Doctor! This was _important _to do! Dad's a public figure over here, and you couldn't sit still for _ten minutes_ so that we can come up with a plan?"

The Doctor rubbed his hands over his face in frustration. Her little slip confirmed a great deal of his earlier fears. "Since when is he 'dad'?"

Rose blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Pete. Pete Tyler. _This universe's Pete Tyler. _You just called him 'Dad'! For two days, he's been 'Pete.' Now, all of a sudden, he's _Dad._ He's _not _your Dad, Rose! We were _there! _You held his hand! Your dad is _dead, _remember?"

Rose looked as though he had punched her in the face. In any other circumstances, he would have felt like kicking himself. Causing anything other than a brilliant smile to grace her face was normally unacceptable to him. Still, faced with the possibility that she might be _happy_ somewhere other than with him, he found it difficult to keep his gob shut. Systematically pushing her away would make it easier when she left, after all.

When Rose finally spoke, it was slowly and deliberately. "I know that, Doctor. I think I remember that event pretty clearly. Thanks ever so for bringing it up."

"Well, clearly you've found a replacement!" he spat back. "You know what? That's fine. You want this life? You want this family? Don't let me stop you. I'll just go."

_There, _he thought. _That ought to rile her up._

He barely registered the time it took for her palm to make contact with her cheek. "You _completely…stupid…man!" _she breathed through clenched teeth. "After everything we've been through! You still think that I'll just up and leave you for a 'normal' life? When will you get it through your _thick skull_ that I'm not leaving you for anything! I mean, for God's sake, the only reason I'm even half comfortable here is because I'm here with _you!_ I know it will all be okay no matter what because I. Am. With. _You!"_

The Doctor suddenly found it difficult to breathe. He took in the gorgeous, firey creature before him. Her cheeks were flushed with anger, her chest heaving with accelerated breaths, and her expression of clear fury was one she had _never _focused on him.

This incredible woman _needed _him, just as badly as he needed her. The thought was enough to send him reeling.

Clearly not finished with her rant, Rose once again opened her mouth to speak. Rather than allow her to continue, the Doctor crossed the space between them in a few quick steps. He hauled her to him and kissed her, cutting her off in the same manner she had so often taken with him. He had to admit, it was remarkably effective. He moved his lips firmly against hers, trying to convey all of his jumbled emotions into the movement of his mouth. He couldn't tell her what he was feeling, not without initiating a chain reaction that he wasn't entirely sure they were ready for, but he could show her. Every day, for however much time they had, he could show her through his actions, his hugs, and his kisses, just how much she meant to him.

She broke the kiss, breathing hard. "That whole kissing-while-you're -rambling thing really does work, doesn't it?"

The Doctor grinned, pressing their foreheads together. He was already relaxing; despite their argument, kissing her seemed to make everything in his frazzled psyche calm enough to feel like himself again. "It does. I know why you use it so often."

"Quite right." Rose broke away, still holding onto his hands.

He took a breath. "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings, Rose. Though I warned you I'd be rubbish at this 'boyfriend' thing. It's been several centuries since I was in a functioning relationship. I'm afraid I'm a bit out of practice."

Rose grinned at him. "I don't need you to be a _boyfriend_. But I do need you to remember to talk to me _before _it turns into a fight." She glanced at her watch. "We should call it a night. I'm going to go apologize to Mum and Pete. Meet you in the bedroom?"

"In a while," he answered. "These gardens are lovely. I'll just…take a walk? Clear my head a bit."

Rose regarded him briefly, before murmuring, "Okay," and moving to kiss him once more. She headed back towards the mansion, while he turned on his heel and, hands in his pocket, began wandering around the garden path.

The Doctor thought about what Rose had told him. No matter what the outcome, even if he couldn't get them home, she would be okay. Because they would be together. But would he? Could he do it? Settle down? With a mortgage and doors and carpets? Work for Torchwood and help provide a home for himself and Rose? Would they get a dog? It would have to be a dog, he couldn't abide by a cat. He and Rose and a black lab named Jack?

The Doctor looked up at the sky, crescent moon shining and the occasional zeppelin drifting lazily by. Could he do it? Could he stay here and live a normal life, saving the world from his office in a skyscraper and having to fill out piles of paperwork after?

_Yes,_ he resolved firmly. If it came down to it, if he couldn't get them home, he knew he could live out the rest of his time here, with Rose, for however long he had her. As long as she was by his side, he could do _anything._

Suddenly quite desperate for a snuggle, he turned back and made his way back towards the mansion. Rose would almost certainly be in bed by now, and he was not the sort of man to keep her waiting.


	7. Chapter 6

The week following the their arrival on Pete's World passed in a bit of a blur for Rose. The Doctor was a whir of motion, barely ever stopping to breathe, let alone properly take care of himself. Rose felt like the nagging wife, having to remind him to eat, drink, shower, and change clothes. He always went to bed with Rose, and she would awake without fail to find him sitting up, surrounded by pieces of disassembled machinery, attempting to cobble together his various gadgets. He wasn't fooling anyone. Rose knew that his typical method of coping, running, was not an option, so he resorted to simply never ceasing in his motions. If he didn't have time to stop and think, then he didn't have to deal with it.

Rose often wondered when she had become expert at everything Doctor.

Still, things in the parallel universe were not all bad. They were getting to know people at Torchwood, Jackie and Pete seemed to be in their own blissful little world, and Rose had been able to make liberal use of Torchwood's credit card. It had been a bit more difficult after they had released the story of Pete Tyler's dead wife and long-lost daughter coming back to him. Still, despite never being able to go anywhere without flashbulbs going off in their faces, things were mostly going well. But then, life in general was never so easy when the Doctor was involved.

As the breaches in the universe closed and his contact with the TARDIS was fading, the Doctor was noticeably suffering. It was difficult for Rose to watch, and she could always tell when another gap closed and he was temporarily cut off until the TARDIS was able to reroute their connection through another avenue. Thankfully, she was a quick learner, and Rose had very quickly deduced that it was her touch that soothed him the most. It had started out as an instinctual thing, rubbing his shoulders or holding his hand when he seemed distressed. She could practically see him relax the moment their skin made contact, and his moods brightened considerably after that. It wasn't difficult to put the two together. If they were at Torchwood or out in London, Rose would take his hands or stroke his neck. Any touch of her skin on his was effective, but she found their time alone when she could explore his mouth and skin at her own leisurely pace was what gave the most lasting results.

_Not exactly a hardship, _Rose mused as the pair were lying in bed, a week and a day after their arrival. She had vetoed any tinkering that night, insisting that he needed to try and rest. The Doctor hadn't slept at all since before Canary Wharf, and even he would wear out after a while.

She could tell he was restless, though. He kept tossing and turning, huffing little nonsense noises as he tried to get comfortable. Rose would have thought it cute under normal circumstances, but she was utterly exhausted from following in the Doctor's near-constant motion and was desperate to sleep herself.

Rolling over on her side to face him, Rose took in the Doctor's adorably disheveled appearance. She had to admit, the Doctor in his striped pajamas and pillow-mussed hair was incredibly enticing. She didn't restrain her free hand from reaching over and grabbing his. "Can't sleep?"

"Oh, no, Time Lords are just capable of complex conversation in their REM cycles," he snapped back. "Of course I can't sleep. I don't _need _to sleep. My body functions differently than yours, Rose."

Rose pulled her hand away from his abruptly. She had managed to figure out how to help him get through these mood swings, but that didn't make them any less irritating. "Fine, sorry. I just thought it would help." She rolled back over, facing away from him. "Just keep the lights down, yeah? 'S hard to sleep with them on."

She heard him sigh, and it was mere second before she felt the Doctor shift, curling up against her back and draping an arm around her waist. He rested his cheek against hers, and she could feel his muscles marginally relax at the contact.

"I don't meant to take this out on you, Rose," he murmured.

"Yeah," she sighed, turning over to face him. "I know. Doesn't make it any easier when you do, though."

He pulled her to him, tucking her head against his chest. "I'm not angry with you, I swear, I'm not. Being here with you, like this, it helps. You've no idea how much."

"Not really enough," she murmured. "You still can't sleep."

"Don't you worry about that," he told her, placing a kiss on the crown of her head. "You don't need to take care of me. I'm a grown-up…weeeeeelll…sort of."

Rose giggled, wishing she could do more to help him. Skin contact seemed to calm and relax him more than she thought it would. Maybe the more skin that was touching, the easier it would be for him. All of a sudden, it was as if a light bulb had gone off in her head. Rose hopped up from the bed and began deftly unbuttoning her pajama top.

The Doctor was struck dumb at the sight. When he found his voice again, she was almost to the last button. "Rose…what…" he cleared his throat. "What are you doing?"

"Helping you sleep," she said matter-of-factly. She shrugged her top over her head and shimmied out of the soft flannel bottoms. She returned to the bed before she lost her nerve, clad only in the soft cotton undergarments she preferred for sleep. Rose slid under the duvet and looked pointedly at the Doctor.

"What?" he squeaked out at her expectant look.

"Strip," she commanded.

"WHAT?"

"You heard me."

"Yes, but…"

"I'm not asking for a song and dance to go with it, Doctor. C'mon, down to your knickers."

"Yes, well," he began stammering. "The thing is, Rose I…er…I'mnotwearingany," he rushed out.

Rose rolled her eyes. "If you're that much of a prude, go put on some shorts. I know I bought you some with Strong Bad printed all over them. Come on, chop chop! Not getting any younger over here."

"All right, all right!" The Doctor threw back the duvet and padded over to the dresser. Opening the top drawer, he was surprised to see it well-stocked with various colors and styles of pants, vests, and socks. His hearts clenched at the sight. Rose was _always _taking care of him, even when he was so wrapped up in himself that he wasn't even aware of it.

"Doctor! It's not quantum physics, it's pants. Then again, quantum physics is probably easier for you to figure out. Forget I said anything."

He chuckled, and quickly shed his pajamas, replacing them with Rose's suggested style of boxers. He returned to the bed, slid under the duvet, and felt all of the tension leave his body as he spooned up behind Rose.

He must have made some kind of satisfied noise, because Rose peeked at him, grinning. "Not bad, eh? This head ain't no hat rack."

The Doctor chuckled again, pulling her even tighter against him. This was _wonderful_, curling up with Rose, pressing every bit of skin he could against hers. His anxiety slowly drained out of him and a wave of sheer exhaustion hit him like a Mack truck.

"You amazing, wonderful, _gorgeous_ human," he mumbled sleepily into Rose's ear. "How do you always know?"

"Just do," she answered cheekily, stroking her fingers across the arm he had stretched out under her neck. She gripped his hand, and placed a small kiss near his wrist. "Good night, my Doctor."

"Good night, my Rose," he answered. He drifted off, arms filled with Rose and more comfortable than he'd ever been in all his 900 years.

* * *

><p>It always seems to happen that the moment you stop looking, the very moment you let your guard down, that what you've been searching for has the habit of finding you. The beeping from the Doctor's monitoring device dragged him out of the deepest, most satisfying sleep he'd had in a good long while. He reached out, slapping the device's equivalent of a snooze button, before curling around Rose's mostly-naked form and attempting once again to drift off.<p>

The device began beeping incessantly once more. The noise was a regular occurrence, the satellites detecting old breaches that would seal themselves before they'd even the chance to look at the monitor. However, this continuous alarm was most definitely a new thing. He rolled over onto his back and flopped his arm around a bit until he located his specs, resting on the nightstand next to the small device. In all of his shifting, he'd unconsciously pulled Rose with him, as she had spent the night cradled in the crook of his arm. The Doctor glanced over as she blinked awake and she smiled lazily up at him.

"Mornin'," she whispered, laying a kiss on his bare chest. "Sleep well?"

"Remarkably," he responded, pulling her a little bit tighter against him. She arranged herself so that her head was lying against his chest and she could see what he had in his hand.

"What's it say?" she mumbled.

Suddenly remembering what had woken him up in the first place, the Doctor turned his attention to the screen. He slipped on his glasses, quickly scanned the data, and gave Rose a slow smile. "I think…we may have something here."

* * *

><p>Pete, Mickey, Rose, and the Doctor were on their way to Torchwood within half and hour. The Doctor was pouring over the little hand-held monitor with Pete and Mickey, pointing out various readings that could suggest this or that or the other thing. Rose wasn't really paying attention, lost as she was in her own thoughts. Was this going to be their way home? Would her mother come back with them as well? Or would she want to stay here with Pete? Rose's decision to stay with the Doctor at Canary Wharf was instinctual, fueled by adrenaline, and she wasn't thinking about the consequences at the time. Now, she had had the time to sit and think about how badly she would miss her mum if they ended up in different universes. She also had time with Mickey over the past week, her best friend who she thought she'd never see again.<p>

If they could, Rose would definitely be returning to the TARDIS with the Doctor. There was no question about that. Still, she couldn't delude herself. The separation from her mum, Mickey, and even Pete would be a _lot_ harder this time around.

The driver carefully maneuvered through the paparazzi waiting outside of Canary Wharf. Rose once again considered the fall-out for Pete if they managed to get back to their original universe. His PR team was brilliant. Certainly, they would come up with _something _to explain the disappearance. At least it wasn't an issue at the moment. One thing at a time. They would have to cross the bridge when and if they came to it.

The Doctor was like a force of nature from the moment they swiped their ID badges and made their way to the satellite department. He immediately began conferring with the associates, comparing notes and loading a world map onto one of the giant screens that took up an entire wall. Rose sighed, and immediately moved to put the kettle on. She couldn't really do much at the moment, but at least she could properly pump the department up with free radicals and tannins to keep them running at top efficiency.

"Mornin', Rose!"

Rose turned towards the door at the sound of her name. One of the researchers from research and development was entering the room, a friendly smile on her face. Her name was Josie, and the two had struck up an easy rapport over the last week.

Josie took in the flurry of activity around them. "Well, things don't look boring up here. What's happening?"

"Good morning, Josie," Rose greeted. "Big discovery, you can imagine. What's brought you out of your cubicle?"

"A little birdie mentioned that this department suddenly had the best tea in the place. I had to come see for myself." Josie grinned at Rose and tucked a lock of her wild ginger hair behind her ear. "Do you mind if I take a mug with me?"

"No! Not at all!" Rose set up another mug with a couple of tea bags. "Things quiet down in R&D?"

"And they'll probably stay that way, with your Doctor busy up here."

Rose grinned. She knew the Doctor had been making things lively down in the normally tame department. "I'm not surprised."

"You know," Josie began casually. "If you're bored up here, you could always lend me a hand. I noticed you've been great help with identifying some of the tech we've salvaged. If you ever have a free moment, I'd love your advice on some of our long-standing projects."

Rose looked at the woman, surprised. "I'm sure the Doctor would be much better at it than I would. Why don't you ask him?"

"Oh, he's always rushing about, working on something or other. We don't need to bother him. Plus, don't tell him I told you, but word among the other techs is that he's a bit…intimidating to work with. I mean, not only is he a genius, but he's dating the boss's daughter. You can imagine."

Rose laughed. "Oh, he's a teddy bear once you get to know him. But yeah, I can see it. You really want my help?"

"Sure! Whenever things calm down up here, swing by."

"Thanks, Josie," Rose told her, still surprised that someone had thought of her. She poured the hot water into the woman's mug, and Josie thanked her before wishing a good day and returning to her own department.

Rose absently prepared her and the Doctor's cups of tea, thinking about what Josie had offered. The Doctor was always quick to encourage her interests and always heaped praise on her, but it was something completely different when someone completely outside of their little world noticed she was good at something. It was true, she did often get a bit bored, simply watching the Doctor or making tea while he did all of the brilliant things he was known for. Could she do something else from time to time?

The Doctor's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Rose! Come over here and look at this!"

Rose sighed. Well, they may not be here long enough to find out anyway. Picking up their mugs of tea, she turned to take her place at the Doctor's side.

"Tea, Doctor?" Rose offered him a mug.

He beamed at her, grasping the offered beverage with one hand and placing the other on the small of her back. "Ah, brilliant. Thanks for this. We found a fairly steady breach. It seems to be holding, unlike the other ones we encountered."

"Great!" Rose told him, taking a sip from her own mug. "Where?"

"Norway."

"_Norway?_" Rose echoed. "Are you serious?"

"Yep!" The Doctor replied, giving her a charming grin over his mug, which she couldn't help but return.

"And we're going there, aren't we?"

"Oh, yes!" The Doctor pulled her tight against his side and placed a kiss on the crown of her head. "Another adventure! You up for it?"

Rose grinned at him. "Is the atomic weight of cobalt 58.9?"

The Doctor laughed jubilantly, and, completely disregarding their hot mugs, picked Rose up in a terribly impractical twirly hug. When it was evident that no one would suffer from tea burns, she joined in his infectious mood and laughed along with him.

"Okay, SO!" He put Rose down and addressed the somewhat stunned workers assembled around him. "I will need…." he began to ramble off a list of technical-sounding equipment that Rose couldn't even begin to follow. "…a package of Jammie Dodgers, travel thermoses, a colander, several rolls of coated wire, and about…oh…" He trailed off, deep in thought for a split second. "…fifteen rolls of tin foil?"

"Um…" a low-level tech stammered. "Tin foil?"

"Did I stutter? Yes, tin foil! And don't scrimp on the cheap stuff. High quality Reynold's Wrap is the only way to go. Let's get a move on! No telling when this breach will seal up! Time is of the essence, people!"

Rose's grin widened. The Doctor was back.

At least, for now.


	8. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the long wait! Took the holidays off from writing so I could get all of my knitting done. The good news is that this chapter is a MONSTER! I've also already started 8! LJ users kelkat9, who_in_whoville, and timelord1 are my saviors. Now...on with the show!**

Rose took the car service back to the mansion so that she could pack an overnight bag for herself and the Doctor. She greeted her mother absently as she breezed past the kitchen. Jackie, never allowing her daughter to get away with such a greeting, followed her to the guest suite as Rose tore through the room and explained to her what they had discovered at Torchwood.

"So, what...they found a tear? We could go home?"

"I dunno yet, Mum," Rose called out from the ensuite as she hastily shoved some toiletries in a bag. "We're not sure if it's big enough or stable enough to travel through." She zipped the small pack closed and emerged from the bathroom, tucking it into the larger duffel which sat half-filled on the bed. Without turning around or even ceasing her movements, Rose steeled her nerve and said, "You don't have to come back with us, you know. You could stay...if you want."

Rose chanced a look over her shoulder at her mother. Jackie looked as though someone had slapped her in the face.

"How can you say that to me?" she demanded. "I'm your mum! Of course I'm coming back with you!"

"I'm just sayin'!" Rose tucked the last pile of socks into the bag and turned to fully face her mother. "You and Pete...I mean...you're really happy with him. I can tell. And you don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll be with the Doctor."

Jackie looked close to tears. "You think you're so…I dunno…_clever_! Worldly! Like you know everything just because you've _traveled _and seen things and…Rose, you're my daughter! I'm always gonna worry about you, even when you're fifty years old and even worse if I can't talk to you or see you all the time!" Jackie choked back a sob. "But it's not just that…Rose, I thought I'd lost you, back at Canary Wharf. Thought I'd never see you again. I dunno if I could bear it, love."

"But I don't want you to give up a chance to be really happy!" Rose protested. She swallowed against the lump in her throat. She needed to stay strong, to convince her mum that she would be okay without her.

Rose never gave her mother enough credit. Jackie could always sense when Rose was near tears, and this was no exception. She strode forward and wrapped her arms around her daughter. At the warm, familiar embrace, Rose felt her self control crack and she began to sob, burying her face in Jackie's shoulder, just like when she was a child.

"How can I be happy without my baby girl?" Jackie murmured, stroking through Rose's hair, always comforting even though she could barely speak through her own tears.

Rose couldn't answer. She just cried, great wrenching sobs, and clung harder to her mother.

* * *

><p>Jackie eventually left the guest wing after she and Rose had both calmed down, needing to pack some bags for herself and Pete. The plan they had worked out at Torchwood was to drive the day or so trip to Bergen, everyone taking a shift driving so the others could rest. Then they would stop off overnight and continue to the hour or so drive to the breach the following morning. Of course the Doctor was itching to get there as soon as possible, but Rose had to gently point out that the various personnel that Pete was so generously providing were human, and therefore no use to anyone exhausted. The Doctor had conceded...begrudgingly.<p>

Pete met them back at the house an hour or so after Rose had arrived. Both she and Jackie had finished packing, Jackie now making hotel reservations in Bergen and Rose was preparing a few travel mugs of tea. Pete came into the kitchen and greeted Rose warmly.

"How's everything down there?" she asked, handing him one of the mugs.

"Thank you," he smiled at her gratefully. "We're good, nearly there. The Doctor is helping to organize the vans. He said to tell you hello." His eyes closed as he took a long sip from the mug. "Oh, this is good. You're nearly as talented as your mother."

"I will take _that_ as a compliment," Rose grinned at Pete and sipped from her own thermos. "We're almost ready to go here. Mum's handling the hotel in Bergen."

"Perfect." Pete nodded. "I figured we'd take my old Jeep up. Haven't driven it in ages. It's all Lexus and Mercedes nowadays. It'll do the old girl some good to get a little exercise."

"You sound like the Doctor," Rose teased. "That's exactly how he talks about the TARDIS. Although, she is kind of alive, so it's not that far off base..." Rose trailed off as her heart clenched once more for their beloved ship. Could the TARDIS feel loneliness? Was she all right, wherever she was? Was being apart from her Time Lord causing her pain, just like it was for the Doctor?

"Rose..." Pete interrupted her train of thoughts. He covered her hand where it lay on the counter and spoke softly. "I want you to know that, whatever happens today or tomorrow or ten years from now, it was a privilege to know you. If your dad-your _real_ dad- was alive today...God, he would have been so proud of you."

Rose looked up at Pete, her eyes filling with tears. This was certainly turning out to be an emotional day. Here was the man who was, and wasn't, her father. His eyes were glowing with pride and affection, so much like that day in 1987 that Rose couldn't help but throw her arms around his neck.

"_Thank you_," she whispered. "That means a lot. You've no idea."

Pete hugged her back, naturally, exactly has her own Dad had done so long ago. She breathed in deep, heart lurching in her chest when, beneath the lovely cologne and soap scent, she sensed something that was simple and unique and just…_dad._ Rose pulled back with some difficulty and Pete planted an affectionate kiss on her forehead. "If this doesn't work out, and I won't lie, part of me _really_ hopes it doesn't, I would be honored if you and your mum and the Doctor would stay here...with me. I know we really don't know each other all that well and I'm not looking to replace your real dad or anything, but this last week...it's been _nice_, having a family to come home to..."

He was rambling. Rose grinned. Apparently there was some truth to that old tale about always falling for someone exactly like your father...even if you didn't meet him until you were nineteen. "Pete," she interrupted. "I can't know what's gonna happen tomorrow but, if we are here for a while, we'd be happy to stay with you. At least, for as long as you can stand living with the Doctor."

Pete's face lit up in an expression she'd never seen on him before. He looked years younger, so much like the young man she'd met so long ago. "Really? 'Cause that'd be brilliant!" He pulled her into a tight hug once again.

A small sniff from the kitchen entryway caused them to break apart. Rose turned and found her mum, pressing a Kleenex to her eyes in a fruitless attempt to stem her flow of tears.

"Oh, don't mind me!" Jackie sniffled, waving them off casually. "No, really...just...go back to what you were doing!"

"Jacks," Pete said softly. He opened one arm towards her invitingly. "C'mere."

Jackie's sobs upgraded to complete blubbering. "Oh, God!" she wailed dramatically. Rose couldn't help but chuckle through her tears as Pete pulled her in to share their embrace.

Rose wasn't sure how much time had passed with Pete just holding the two of them, rocking slowly, when Jackie's shoulders finally stopped shaking and she drew in a deep, ragged breath. "God, look at us. A right mess we are," she laughed.

Pete chuckled back. "You're beautiful. The pair of you." The trilling of his mobile finally caused him to pull away from their little embrace. Rose watched nervously as he held a short conversation, clicked off the phone and turned back.

"Well, let's get the Jeep all packed. Mickey's got his field team assembled and the vans are all ready to go. We should be leaving within the hour."

Rose grinned at him. "Ready for an adventure?"

Pete grinned back. "Yeah, I reckon I am. And you, Jacks?"

Jackie laughed. "Oh, go on, you nutters. Let's get a move on."

* * *

><p>The Doctor climbed into the Jeep the moment it slid into a spot next to the standard black Torchwood vans. He hefted a small duffel in after him and placed it delicately on the floor. He slid next to Rose, offering her a small kiss as a greeting.<p>

"Hello," he murmured. "Missed you."

"Only been two hours, Doctor."

"Too long," he replied. He studied her face intently. "You all right?"

"Yeah," Rose replied, entwining their fingers. "Better now. Just an emotional day."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Things fall apart when I'm not there, always the way." He turned towards the front of the Jeep. "The fleet's assembled. Fancy an introduction, Rose?"

"Absolutely!" she agreed, allowing the Doctor to pull her out into the garage.

"Right! Everyone this is Rose!" She waved her hand in greeting. "You know Mickey and Jake, obviously."

"Who doesn't?" she moved over and gave them each a hug. "Thank you both for doing this."

"Anything for you, babe," Mickey told her, offering an affectionate knuckle bump to her jaw.

Jake grinned. "You've got all of Torchwood eating out of the palm of your hand, Rose. I'm not surprised they all volunteered for this."

"Oh, hush," she teased back.

"Here, Rose," Mickey gestured to the rest of his team, placing his hand on the small of Rose's back in a familiar gesture. She could almost feel the Doctor's jaw tighten at this, but he intelligently kept his gob shut. Mickey led Rose over to a bespectacled, dark-haired man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties. "This is Dr. Ken Dooley. He's our team medic. Everyone's trained in emergency first-aid and CPR, but Ken here has been our savior on more than one occasion."

"Doctor," Rose greeted, catching her Doctor's eye and grinning cheekily. "Nice to meet you."

"And you," he replied, shaking her hand.

He seemed a bit nervous, meeting the boss's long-lost daughter. Rose wanted to put him at ease, so she put on a friendly smile, asking him about his specialty and where he attended medical school, before Mickey reminded her of their rather strict timeline and they moved on. He introduced her to the next member of their team, a young twenty-something man with dirty blonde hair wearing a t-shirt that said "No, I Will Not Fix Your Computer."

"This is our technical support, Bill Scott," Mickey explained. Rose greeted him warmly and complimented his t-shirt. He blushed and stammered. The Doctor sighed.

"Liza George," a petite, perky blonde piped up next, reaching out to shake Rose's hand. "Head of security."

Some of Rose's surprise must have shown on her face, because Liza grinned. "I know, no one expects me. It's brilliant!"

"Liza's a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black-belt and is certified in nearly every weapon known to man," Mickey informed Rose, winking at Liza. "And a lot known to aliens, too."

Liza blushed prettily at his praise. Rose made a mental note to question Mickey about Liza further when she had him alone.

"And last on our whirlwind tour is our gorgeous relationship manager and linguistics specialist."

"Oh, Mickey, you're a charmer," a middle-aged ginger woman turned to smile warmly at Rose. "Hello, I've heard a lot about you. I'm Carrie, Carrie Potter."

Rose nearly choked as she shook hands. She turned to look at the Doctor, who was grinning. "Carrie Potter?" she questioned.

"Yes, that's right! My husband, Harry, always gets a kick out of it."

"Your...husband's called Harry Potter?"

Carrie looked at her quizzically. "You know, you're the third person to mention that. Mickey was the first, and your Doctor here was the second. Never got that reaction before him. Strange. Anyway, nice to meet you! This is an Earth-based mission, no need for alien relations, so I'm going to go coordinate with Bill. Tech-heavy this one."

"Yeah," Rose replied, still smiling at the Doctor. "Nice to meet you!"

She elbowed the Doctor in the ribs on the way back to the Jeep. "You think you could warn a girl next time?"

"What?" he asked innocently, despite the twinkle in his eyes.

"Harry and Carrie Potter?"

The Doctor just grinned, opening the door to the Jeep and ushering her inside. Pete and Jackie were already situated, just waiting for the Doctor and Rose to settle in.

"Everyone in? Right." Pete got on the intercom system to the vans, giving them the hotel address for their navigation software. With a few more instructions, they were off.

The Doctor popped on his specs and immediately set to work, pulling a metal colander out of the simple duffel. He followed the colander with all manner of contraptions and began attaching them with the sonic screwdriver.

"What've you got there, Doctor?" Rose leaned in, curious.

"It's a psychic brain wave transmitter and magnifier." He welded a few wires together with the sonic. Rose admired how steady his hands were in the backseat of the large SUV. "Just in case. I might need to send someone a message through the void. And I can't risk a recorded message getting into the wrong hands. No, there's someone I know from my old days at UNIT who can look out for the TARDIS, keep her safe if we..." He trailed off, visibly flinching for a split second before the look was gone again. "...if we can't get back right away. I'll need to psychically connect with him. This will help."

"Right," Rose teased. "You're...making a colander helmet."

"I am making a psychic brain wave transmitter and magnifier," the Doctor corrected her good-naturedly. "There is a subtle difference."

"Ah, yes, however did I miss it?" Rose yawned. Despite it being early in the day, Rose felt her late night, early morning, and the emotional toll of the day acutely. She'd packed a pillow and fleece throw for such an occasion, so she pulled them from her bag and arranged herself against the window in an attempt to get comfortable. "I'm going to try for a kip. Behave yourself?"

"Always," he replied. "Well, maybe not _always_...really though, Rose, what sort of trouble could I cause whilst enclosed in a moving Jeep? Don't answer that."

She grinned at him, eyelids already drooping. Slipping out of her trainers (and simultaneously thankful that she'd changed from her pantsuit into soft cotton track pants, t-shirt, and hooded sweatshirt), she tucked her toes under his thigh, turned to snuggle into her pillow, and was asleep in moments.

* * *

><p>The Doctor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. The psychic brain wave transmitter and magnifier really wasn't difficult to cobble together, even in a moving vehicle that could frankly benefit from a front end alignment. No, he couldn't concentrate because, thanks to Rose's brilliant idea of sleeping with as much skin contact as possible, he was now more in tune with her than ever. Not to mention that during the entire previous week there had been much more kissing and cuddling than running for their lives. He could feel the edge of her consciousness, just out of reach, and he wanted nothing more than to delve into her mind and submerge himself in her comforting presence.<p>

There really hadn't been time to explain his psychic sense to Rose. They had been so focused on trying to find a way back that it hadn't come up. The fact of the matter was that he perceived people differently than humans did. Humans had five senses, some had the beginning of a sixth that would evolve over the course of many generations. Time Lords, on the other hand, had approximately twenty-seven senses, including telepathy. Part of the way he _felt_ people was in this telepathy, which was amplified by touch.

After the Time War, the telepathic part of his mind that had connected all the Time Lords together was nearly empty. If it hadn't been for presence of the TARDIS in his mind, he would have gone completely mad. Since he could still feel her more often than not, just dulled, the skin contact with Rose was enough to stave off any major effects. He wasn't entirely sure what would happen if he had to close the last gap, cutting him off from the TARDIS completely.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. He had a fair idea. And he just hoped Rose would be okay with the outcome.

Suddenly quite eager for some contact with her, the Doctor forced all of his concentration on soldering the last few wires together. Once the psychic brain wave transmitter and magnifier was complete, he popped it back into the black duffel and slid it down to the floor. After some fancy contorting, he managed to arrange himself with one foot resting on the floor, one leg stretched along the back seat so that he could pull Rose's sleeping form between his legs and cradle her against his chest. She made a sleepy sound of protest, which he shushed gently as he arranged the fleece throw around them. The Doctor's hands slid under her shirts, making contact with her warm, soft stomach, and he sighed in relief at the contact.

"Mmmm," Rose mumbled sleepily, resting her hands over his. She nuzzled against his neck, eyes still closed before saying his name in that sweet, sleepy way he always adored. He rested his cheek against her head and closed his eyes, contemplating trying to grab a small nap himself when he heard Pete's voice addressing him.

"So, Doctor," he began, trying to sound casual. The Doctor, however, could easily detect the hard note in his voice. "Say this works. You and Rose go back to your own universe, back to your blue box, traveling the stars..."

"That is the preferred outcome, yes," the Doctor replied, wondering where this conversation was going.

"So, should that happen...what are your intentions with my-I mean, with Rose?" Pete's eyes grew wide at his near slip. Jackie seemed to have noticed, and she placed her hand on Pete's forearm, squeezing gently.

The Doctor noticed as well. He let his head fall back against the window. He could easily opt for being snarky, snapping at Pete that his intentions with Rose were none of his business. However, he genuinely liked the man. He was friendly, personable, and brave; fighting the good fight and sticking up for the little guy.

In a lot of ways, he was Rose.

He thought for a long moment before answering. "My intentions are noble," the Doctor replied slowly. "I promise you that, Pete. I intend to stay with her, to protect her, and keep her safe for as long as it is within my power to do so."

"And when she can't travel anymore?" Pete pressed. "When she's old and frail and still refuses to leave you?"

The Doctor closed his eyes. He didn't want to think about it. She would always be gorgeous to him, no matter how many gray hairs in her head or lines on her face. But the thought of her sick and frail...it was something he didn't want to comprehend. Not while he had her warm and strong and vibrant in his arms.

"Then we won't travel anymore," he answered simply. "We'll...settle down, get a house or a flat wherever she wants. London, New York, New New York, Raxicoricofallapatorious, I don't care." The Doctor met Pete's eyes in the rear-view mirror. "She's my home, Pete. No matter where she is, that's where I belong."

Pete regarded him, and whatever he could see in the reflective glass seemed to satisfy him. He nodded, grasped Jackie's hand, and started the Doctor talking on the alien artifacts he had been able to identify thus far. Jackie interjected from time to time, asking questions about the items and about the planets they came from.

Rose slept on, content and perfectly comfortable, lulled by the sound of the Doctor's double-heartbeat in her ear.

* * *

><p>Rose awoke sometime later, aware of being warm and as comfortable as one could probably get sharing the backseat of a Jeep with a six-foot-plus alien.<p>

"Sleepy Rose," the Doctor cooed in her ear. "We're making a pit stop. Loo break, tea break, whatever you silly humans need. D'you want to get up?"

"Mmm," Rose stretched out, pressing back against his chest. She looked up, and through her bleary eyes she could make out the Doctor giving her a soft look.

"Hello," he murmured, leaning in for a gentle kiss. She smiled against his lips. "Sleep well?"

"I did," she croaked, clasping her hand over he mouth while the Doctor grinned. "Could do with some water. How long was I out?"

"Ohhh, three hours? Give or take? You missed the Chunnel. Very dull. Jackie and Pete have already gone in."

"All right. Thanks for letting me sleep," she said, realizing for the first time that his hands were underneath her shirt, resting on her bare stomach. She turned towards him and grinned, her tongue caught between her teeth. "Doctor...your hands are under my top!"

The Doctor looked...sheepish! "Yes, well, remember that whole skin-contact thing..."  
>Rose started laughing. "It's like...it's like...you were trying to get away with feeling me up under the blankets in front of my parents! Oh, my God!"<p>

Rose was laughing hysterically now, tears rolling down her cheeks. "If you've quite finished..."

"Nah, not just yet!" and she broke out in another round of giggles before taking deep breaths and calming down. "Sorry, I'm sorry." She reached out and cupped his cheek. "Really, Doctor, I wasn't laughing at you. It was just...well...the situation's kinda funny, right? Like, we're teenagers trying to sneak touches around my parents. Never thought I'd do this sort of thing with you."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Hmmm...I'm still deciding," Rose purred cheekily, pulling herself into his lap and kissing him soundly until her mother pounded on the window and demanded that they make themselves presentable.

* * *

><p>With four of them in the Jeep, each taking roughly six hours of the drive, they arrived in Norway just after noon, local time. They pulled up outside of the modest hotel, the staff helping to load their bags and move them to their rooms. After a quick working lunch in the hotel restaurant, they decided to reconvene at 06:00 local time in the lobby.<p>

The Doctor was a ball of nervous energy the entire time in their room. He kept fiddling with his gadgets, ensuring that everything was functioning at peak efficiency. His breach detector, the device he would use to close the gap if necessary, the psychic brain wave transmitter and modifier...he tinkered and retinkered until Rose could barely stand it anymore.

"Doctor..." Rose pleaded with him for what seemed like the thousandth time that evening, and they had barely been there six hours. "Can't you just..."

"What, Rose, what?" he snapped. He ran his hands through his hair even though it was already standing up completely straight. "Can't I just...come sit down? Watch some Norwegian telly? Order room service? Have a cuddle? I don't know what you _want_ from me, Rose! I'm used to having time at my disposal. I can slow it down, speed it up, go forward, go backwards. If we had the TARDIS, I could just skip ahead to 06:00, couldn't I? But we don't and I have to sit here and _wait_ eighteen hours to act and I just..."

He covered his face with his hands for a moment before crying out in frustration, sweeping his hand across the table and sending all of his wires, nuts, bolts, bulbs; everything he'd been tinkering with to the floor. Rose jumped at the noise, but immediately crossed the room and took him into her arms.

"Shhh," she murmured soothingly. She ran her fingers through his hair and he buried his face in her neck. His breaths were unsteady and shaking and his hearts were slamming so hard in his chest that she could feel the vibrations against hers. "'S alright, my Doctor. Just twelve more hours. We've spent more time than that in jail cells. And here we are, in a nice hotel room with room service and a soft bed and a big jacuzzi tub and..." Rose trailed off, remembering the basket of amenities she'd found in the bathroom. She pulled away and her heart nearly broke at the questioning look in his eyes. "I'm gonna try something, Doctor. I'll be right back. I need you to wait here for a minute, okay?"

"Okay," he breathed out and allowed his arms to fall from her body. Rose turned back towards the bathroom and located the basket of shampoo, mini soaps, mouthwash, and...ah, there it was. A small metal tin, proclaiming a 'massage bar' inside. Rose opened it up and inhaled deeply. It smelled fabulous-lavender and cocoa butter and something else she couldn't place. The little information card proclaimed the bar to be 100% Organic, made from all natural ingredients. This was good...no harsh chemicals to irritate the Doctor's sensitive nose.

The card also stated that the bar would melt into oils at body temperature. Great. Of course she would choose to give a romantic massage to an alien whose body was consistently 30 degrees cooler than hers. He'd just have to warm up then.

Rose exited the bathroom, still clutching the little tin. She saw the Doctor immediately. He was lying on the bed, propped up on some pillows, hands crossed behind his head, just staring at the ceiling seemingly lost in thought. Rose's heart clenched. She sat next to him on the bed and took one of his hands. "Why don't you take a nice, hot shower, Doctor? I'll order us dinner and I might have an idea to help you relax. Whaddya say, huh? You trust me?" Rose smiled at him.

Rose found his answering smile encouraging. "That sounds...lovely, Rose Tyler. Just lovely. Thank you." He allowed her to tug him off of the bed and lead him to the bathroom.

"Now, I want you in there for at least a half an hour," she instructed him and a mock-firm tone. "The water should be as hot as you can stand it. Don't bother asking me why, but do not get redressed from the waist up. Agreed?"

"Yes, sir," the Doctor answered cheekily, giving Rose a sweet, lingering kiss before he disappeared into the ensuite. "I won't be long."

"I'll hold you to that."

* * *

><p>The Doctor had to admit, Rose was a genius. Though he wasn't human, the basic template was similar. The differences were mostly internal. Still, superior biology aside, there was something about hot water spraying down on tense muscles that must have been universal. It was doing wonders in helping ease the tension that had been building steadily for the last six hours.<p>

He couldn't help it. The Doctor wanted to _act_. He wasn't used to sitting on the sidelines and having to deal with team leaders and strategies and procedure. He was used to being the man in charge, everyone deflecting leadership to him because he always was in his element, always knew what he was talking about. And even if he didn't, he was very good at faking.

Rose often called him a control freak. He never bothered arguing.

Then, of course, was the inevitable "what if?" He and Rose hadn't really discussed the future, preferring to take things day by day and focusing on the present. Still, the future always happened. It was inevitable. And what if he couldn't get them home? He had a plan, a back-up plan, and a back-up-to-his-back-up-plan, but if they failed?

He sighed, leaning back against the shower tile. They would go back to London. Stay with Pete, see what unfolded. Living life, day after day.

His Time sense kicked in, informing him that it had indeed been half an hour since he set foot into the shower. Eager to get back to Rose, he shut off the water and toweled off quickly, remembering her instructions not to dress from the waist up. He reached for his suit trousers and wrinkled his nose. He'd been wearing these since the morning before and suddenly had no desire to put them back on over his clean skin. Although, he also hadn't thought to bring anything else in to wear. Nor did he have any idea what Rose had packed for him.

Left with little other options, the Doctor slung the towel around his waist and exited the steamy room.

"Rose?" he queried, scanning the room and finding her at the small dining table, arranging their supper carefully. At the sound of her name, Rose glanced up and immediately turned an attractive shade of pink. "You didn't by chance pack my jim-jams, did you?"

"Erm..." Rose cleared her throat. "Yeah...yeah, I did." She shook her head as if to clear it.

"But really, you're fine in what you've got on."

He blinked at her. "What, this?"

She grinned. "Yeah. In fact, we'd best get started. Go lay on your stomach. I've put towels down on the bed."

"Towels?" The Doctor was very, very confused. Here he was, nine hundred years old, a genius, and he marveled at the fact that the one thing that could confuse him was a twenty-year-old London blonde. "What for? And did you turn up the heat? Why's it so warm in here?"

"All part of my master plan," Rose teased. "Which you should stop questioning and just do as I say, there's a good chap. On the bed with you."

Still not entirely sure what Rose had planned, the Doctor did as he was told, laying face-down across several warm, soft towels. She followed him over to the bed and sat somewhere near his waist, picking up something metallic from the bedside table.

"Rose, what are you..._ohhhhh_," he breathed as Rose moved to straddle his hips and rubbed a smooth, solid bar firmly over his back. With his skin still warm from the shower and ambient temperature, he felt the bar melt into his skin and leave behind a trail of lavender-scented oil that Rose immediately began working into his muscles.

"Oh, _Rose_," he groaned, overwhelmed by her hands on his skin and the gorgeous, sweet scent of the oil. "That's just..."

"Shut up and enjoy this, yeah? I'm busy," she took the bite out of her words by leaning over and placing a small, lingering kiss on the back of his neck.

He shuddered. "Oh, all right...do your worst, Rose Tyler."

* * *

><p>Rose's worst was to, apparently, make him so relaxed that he had no will to complain about the next ten hours of inaction. After she had thoroughly worked the muscles in his back and he had thanked her with a long, passionate snog, they enjoyed a simple supper of soup and sandwiches, watched telly and snuggled. He even managed to sleep a bit, curled around Rose once again in nothing but their undergarments and soothed by the lingering scent of lavender and cocoa butter.<p>

He still awoke earlier than Rose, as per usual, his nervous energy returning. They wouldn't be meeting the rest of the team for a couple of hours, so he took the time to clean and press his suit with the sonic. He paired the suit with his usual Oxford and tie, noting with some disgust that Rose had packed him a pair of dark jeans with the tags still on. Not his style at all. Hadn't he mentioned to her to force a regeneration on him if he ever donned a pair of jeans? He'd have to bring it up.

The Doctor snuck out of the room quietly once he was dressed, retrieving a selection of pastries and muffins from the buffet table before returning promptly at five to wake up Rose. He pushed his sleepy, grumbling girl into the shower while he brewed them a pot of coffee and made sure all of his equipment was functioning properly.

Rose emerged a half hour later, sweet-smelling and a bit more alert. She was dressed simply in jeans and a snug pink sweater, her hair blown-dry and framing her face attractively. She accepted her mug of coffee gratefully and dove into the plate of pastries.

"You've got everything?" Rose asked him over her banana-nut muffin.

"Yep," he replied. "All ready to go. Got the hoppers, the breach detector-slash-scanner, breach stitcher-upper, and the psychic brain wave transmitter and magnifier."

"The colander helmet?" Rose questioned teasingly, sending him a grin.

"Cheeky." He grinned back briefly before his expression turned serious. "Last chance, you know. To stay. Be with your mum, your dad, your best friend..." His voice seemed to hitch at the next part. "Have that fantastic life I always wanted for you..."

"Yeah, no chance," she retorted good-naturedly.

The Doctor's answering smile was nearly blinding. "Wouldn't be me if I didn't ask, would I?" He drained the last of his mug and waited for Rose to finish her own breakfast. Then, he picked up the black duffel from the floor, reached his hand forward and waggled his fingers invitingly. "Shall we?"

Rose beamed at him as she grasped his hand, pulling him towards her for a gentle, sweet kiss. "Lead the way, Doctor."

* * *

><p>It took close to an hour to reach the GPS coordinates for the breach. Their little caravan pulled onto a small beach close to 07:00, Pete remarking on how pleased he was with the all-terrain tires while the Doctor inspected the navigation screen.<p>

"Oh, you've _got_ to be kidding me!" he suddenly exclaimed.

"What?" Rose questioned, peering over his shoulder.

"It's the beach...this bay...it's called Darlig ulv Stranden."

"Dalek?" she questioned, heart beginning to pound in panic.

"No, _Darlig_," he clarified, chuckling in disbelief. "It's Norweigen for 'bad.'"

"So...what? What's it mean?"

The Doctor looked at her, his expression inscrutable. "It translates to 'Bad Wolf Bay.'"

Rose gaped at him, completely at a loss for words. Instead of elaborating, the Doctor simply exited the Jeep and joined the other personnel on the cold, windy beach. Rose followed him, still completely bewildered. Seemed like Bad Wolf was still following them everywhere, even to parallel universes.

Rose wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Oh, what a morning!" the Doctor exclaimed, all bravado and cheerfulness even after the unnerving revelation. He pulled his new overcoat from the back of the Jeep and handed Rose her black jacket. "Smell that sea air! Invigorating!"

"And freezing," Rose quipped, pulling on the jacket and zipping it nearly up to her neck. "Wish I'd thought to pack gloves."

"Hmmm..." the Doctor mused, patting his pockets thoughtfully. He reached inside his coat and pulled out a pair of wine-colored, cabled wrist warmers. "Will these do?"

Rose beamed at him. "Couldn't hurt!" she pulled them on. "What d'you think, do they work?"

He regarded her carefully, reaching out and grasping one of her hands in his. "Not ideal from my end of things," he grinned at her. "But at least you'll be warm. You ready for this?"

Rose's smile widened. "Let's do it."

They turned to face the team. Mickey and Jake were helping Bill and Carrie set up the various device interfaces. The Doctor had given them a crash-course while they were loading up the vans, and Rose was pleased to see the look of approval on his face as he watched.

After a few minutes, Mickey gave him a thumbs-up and he nodded. They started up the computers and equipment. The Doctor, still grasping tight to Rose's hand, flipped a tiny switch the breach detector-slash-scanner. Rose giggled when it played the Windows start-up music as it turned on.

The Doctor's lips quirked up in a half smile. "Looks like Bill got bored on the drive up." He held the scanner and nodded in amused acknowledgement at the techie. Bill grinned back and offered a small salute.

The Doctor turned his attention back to the beach, moving slowly around and pulling Rose along with him. They wandered around for several minutes, Rose trusting that the Doctor knew what he was looking for as he kept his eyes trained on the small screen. Rose eventually noticed a small, dark blip, and they began moving towards it.

"Well, what have we here?" he murmured, using the image on the screen as a guide as he moved the scanner up and down, seemingly taking readings and measurements. "Hmmm...can't honestly say I've ever physically stood in front of a gap in the universe. Humbling, really." He released Rose's hand and fiddled with the gadget, buzzing his sonic against it a few times. "We'll know a bit more when I compare these readings to the ones from the gap above Canary Wharf..."

Rose watched as, for the next few minutes, the Doctor tapped on the screen furiously, muttering to himself and working through calculations in his head faster than the little machine in his hand could.

"No, no, no!" he kept muttering. "Not _that_ way...just..."

Eventually, the tapping stopped. He tucked the device in his pocket and ran both hands over his face and up through his hair. He turned to Rose, his eyes dark and expressionless.

She felt her heart sink. "No..."

"Both universes would collapse," he choked out, sweeping her into his arms for a hug. "I'm sorry, Rose, I'm so, so sorry..."

Rose shushed him, stroking her hands through his hair. "Don't be sorry on my account. I have you. We'll find another way, yeah? We'll get working right when we get back to London."

He took a deep breath before taking a step back and looking into her eyes. "Rose, this is the last gap left. I have to close it. There's no way back after this. It's impossible."

Rose grinned, trying to lift his spirits. "We eat impossible for breakfast, Doctor. If there's a way, you'll find it."

He didn't look convinced, but plastered on a smile she was positive was for her benefit only. "Right, so! Plan B. Back to the vans. Rose, remember the tin foil? Now, you're going to think I'm a nutter..."

"Bit late for that..."

He ignored her. "But we need everyone to fashion a foil helmet. Then we need to set up a perimeter, clear out everyone within about a mile. Shouldn't be difficult, not much around here, but we wouldn't want a stray jogger to catch one of my telepathic waves and end up with his brain liquefied, now would we?"

"Brain liquefied?" Rose said weakly as he pulled her back towards where the rest of the team was stationed.

He repeated his instructions to the team. Liza and Ken took the crime scene tape and posts and went to set up the perimeter. Despite looking at him like he was mad, everyone else began to fashion their foil hats to the Doctor's exacting specifications. Apparently, aluminum was the ultimate Earth-based material at stopping psychic waves from penetrating the human brain. Wrap a few layers around your head, and apparently you were safe from a great deal of telepathic species.

Rose was surprised. Guess those nutters with the tin foil hats were on to something after all.

The Doctor helped her secure her own hat to her head, grinning at her. "You're rather fetching in silver."

"Yeah, okay," Rose laughed. "So what's this all about? What are you gonna do?"

The Doctor took a breath. "I've a…friend, in the other universe. Name of Alastair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart. Fine gentleman, worked for UNIT, remember them?"

"From Downing Street?"

He beamed at her. "From Downing Street. Anyway, if I had the TARDIS I could lock onto his DNA and find him anywhere. From here, it's a bit more complicated. I need to project a telepathic message through the void and into his subconscious. That's the only way the human mind is willing to accept psychic intervention. I'll just let him know where the TARDIS is located and ask him to keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't fall into the wrong hands, keep her dusted and cleaned, until we can get back." He said this last bit with forced confidence, Rose could tell.

"And this is where your colander helmet comes into play?"

"Yes, I'll need my psychic brain wave transmitter and magnifier," he replied, feigning exasperation. "Ah, lovely, Liza and Ken are back. Are we secure?"

"Crime scene tape is set up a mile in every direction," Liza answered. Mickey came over to help her with her hat. "Hopefully no one tries to sneak in, but we'll patrol along as much as we can."

"Right," the Doctor said, heading back over to where Jackie and Pete were standing by the Jeep. He retrieved his psychic brain wave transmitter and magnifier from the black duffel and moved to join Bill and Carrie in one of the vans. Rose watched as he connected some leads to the mobile computer terminal, typed in a few commands, and instructed Bill and Carrie on what to input once he wasn't able to.

"I'm going to be in a…well…trance, I suppose," he told everyone. "You won't be able to bring me out of it, I'll have to do it on my own. Shouldn't be long, no more than an hour…depends on how chatty my old friend is feeling." He grinned at Rose. "Are your hats secure? Really, we don't want any liquefied brains on Torchwood's expense sheets."

Rose came to stand in front of him. "Are you sure about this?"

Instead of answering her, the Doctor pulled her in close for a long, hard kiss. His breathing was uneven after he broke the kiss, stroking his fingers down her cheeks and staring directly into her eyes.

"I'll see you in a bit," he said, leaning back against the divider, flipping a few switches on the terminal before closing his eyes.

Rose turned away briefly and shut her own eyes. All of a sudden, whisper-soft as if carried on the wind, the Doctor's voice brushed against her ear.

"_Rose,"_ it whispered.

She turned back towards the van, expecting to see the Doctor's expressive brown eyes fixed on her. They weren't…his eyes were shut and he was completely motionless, save for the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

* * *

><p>The Doctor opened his eyes and immediately took in his surroundings. He seemed to be in a lovely, sprawling garden filled with plants and fauna he'd never expect to see in the same soil. Huge trees were wafting in the warm summer breeze, and lovely wicker furniture was placed in strategic spots to maximize the views of either the scenery or some particular flower.<p>

Doris seemed to hold a heavy, heavy influence on his friend's dreams.

"Well, well," a voice called from behind him. "You look completely daft, but only one man would ever bother visiting me in my dreams. Doctor."

The Doctor turned around and grinned at his old friend. His skin was a bit more lined, his hair loads more grey, but it was unmistakably his oldest human friend in the universe.

"Brigadier Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart," he greeted warmly, moving forward to shake the man's hand. "How are you? And the missus?

"Fine, fine, we are just fine. I'm retired…though it seems UNIT has yet to learn the meaning of the word." He began to move slowly towards where two wicker armchairs were set up. "Won't you take a seat, Doctor? I need to take a proper look at you. How is it you seem to be getting younger as I am getting older?"

"I am 900 years old. I hardly think that constitutes 'younger.'" The Doctor sat down across from his friend. "I'm afraid this isn't a social call, Brigadier."

"I figured as much, dreams and all that." He relaxed against the soft cushion of the chair. "If you'd just wanted to visit, I imagine you'd park the TARDIS in the back garden as always, despite Doris's threats of dismemberment after you crushed her begonias last time."

"Oi!" the Doctor protested. "I fixed them!"

"Barely," the Brigadier replied. "Now, what can I do for you, Doctor?"

The Doctor took a deep breath. "Well, without going into too much detail…I'm a bit…separated from the TARDIS at the moment. I don't know where I landed in your timeline…does the Battle of Canary Wharf mean anything to you?"

The Brigadier blinked at him.

"Thought not." The Doctor sighed. "I'm a bit early, then. I can't give you any other information. It's a fixed point, it has to happen. However, I'm sure UNIT will be involved. Anyway, when it is deemed safe, I'll need you to do me a very, _very _large favor."

"Of course, Doctor. What will you need?"

"There's an organization with offices in one of the skyscrapers at Canary Wharf. Called Torchwood. Trust me, you'll know which one. Down in one of their storage areas is the TARDIS. I can't get back to her…not yet anyway. I need you to go in there as quickly as possible and find her. Take her to UNIT, to your house, anywhere you can keep an eye on her. She'll be fine, she won't need anything…just…" He broke off, sighing. "I don't want her to be alone. We'll be cut off, and she might need a friendly face."

"Of course," the Brigadier didn't even hesitate to accept. The Doctor smiled at his old friend. "Can you tell me where you are?"

The Doctor sighed again, mirroring the Brigadier's posture in his own chair. "I'm…stuck. In a parallel universe. I can only get this message to you through a gap in the universe that I'll need to close as soon as possible. We're going to try and come back, the best we can, but…I don't know when. I'll come find you as soon as I can, I promise."

"I've no doubt. You said 'we,' Doctor. You're not alone? Where you are…you have a friend with you?"

The Doctor smiled that soft, dreamy smile that usually went along with his Rose-related thoughts. "Yeah. Her name's Rose…Rose and her…family, she's got this family. Well…I guess they're my family, too. Blimey, who'd ever have guessed it? Me, with a family?"

The Brigadier smiled brilliantly. "Rose must be very special indeed."

"Ohhh, she is, old friend…she most certainly is."

"Then I look forward to meeting her…once you are back amongst us, I mean."

"You will." The Doctor smiled at his friend. "Well, best be off. Breaches to seal, universes to save." He stood up and shook the Brigadier's hand firmly. "All my love to the family, good sir."

"Of course," he placed one hand affectionately over their joined ones. "And please give my regards to your Rose?"

The Doctor's grin widened. "Oh, yes. Good-bye, my friend. Good luck."

He closed his eyes, and was gone.

* * *

><p>Rose sighed in relief when, about forty minutes later, the Doctor's eyes shot open. Immediately, he powered down the computer and disconnected the helmet from the terminal. He removed the piece of equipment and called out an all-clear as he exited the van. When he spotted Rose, he immediately strode forward and captured her in a tight embrace.<p>

"My dear friend, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, sends his regards," he whispered in her ear.

Rose grinned. "It worked, then?"

"Oh, yes," the Doctor breathed, pulling back and placing a light kiss on her forehead. "I arrived a bit early in his timeline. Canary Wharf hasn't happened for him, so I'm hoping he can get to her quickly. Lovely to see him, got to catch up a bit. He's looking forward to meeting you."

"You mentioned me?" Rose asked in mild disbelief.

The Doctor looked surprised. "Of course I mentioned you." He sighed heavily. "All right, no use putting this off any longer. We need to close that breach. It's too dangerous, we don't need anything else like Canary Wharf to happen over here."

He led Rose over to the Jeep, where he retrieved the device he affectionately referred to as the breach stitcher-upper. He explained to the others what he was planning to do and assured them that there would be no danger in taking care of it. He led Rose back across the sand to where they had stood earlier, right in front of the gap.

Quite suddenly, the Doctor turned to Rose, grasping her shoulders and imploring her to look at him. "Rose…before we do this, I have to tell you something. You know, what I told you before, about how touching you helps me…sense you? In my mind? Because of the touch telepathy?"

"I remember…"

"Good, because I need to warn you. Once I close this breach, the TARDIS…I won't be able to feel her. At all. My mind will be…empty. Imagine waking up one day and finding out that you are the only human being left in the universe. My telepathy is a major way of sensing people, and with that part unable to sense anyone…"

"It could be…bad," Rose finished.

"To say the least." The Doctor breathed in deep. "Holding your hand, Rose…it will be like putting a band aid on a bullet wound. I may not be able to…control myself…around you."

"What, you'd…hurt me?" Rose asked in disbelief.

"I hope not. I really, _really _hope not…"

The Doctor fixed her with a dark, almost…_lustful _look. Rose shivered, surprised and a bit disturbed at how much this prospect excited her.

She reached up and gently drew his hand away from her shoulder. She twined their fingers together, stepping close to him so that their sides were touching.

"Are you sure about this, Doctor? There's nothing else you can do?"

"I have to, Rose. I can't…I can't put two universes at risk because of me. Besides, the gap would close on its own eventually, best take care of it ourselves before anything else happens. Ready?"

"Are you?"

The Doctor turned to her with a soft, sad smile. "Absolutely not."

He flipped the switch.

For a moment, it was as though nothing had happened. The first indication that something was wrong was when the Doctor allowed the device fall to the beach. His hand slipped from Rose's grasp very abruptly and he fell to his knees, an agonizing, mournful wail escaping his lips. His hands moved immediately to his head, clutching great fistfuls of his hair, as if pulling it out of the way would somehow fix the emptiness he was suddenly feeling.

Rose stood off to the side, helplessly watching the man she cared for more than anything in the universe feel as though he was the only creature left in existence. He was on his knees in the sand, head bent, breathing heavily between shuddering, gasping sobs. Rose's heart was shattering in a million pieces.

Rose had never seen him so small, so…_broken. _Completely disregarding his earlier warnings, she crouched down in the sand next to him, bringing her arms around his shoulders in an attempt to give him some measure of comfort.

"Doctor," she whispered, pressing her cheek against his head. "Oh, my Doctor…I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…I'm here, I promise, I'll never leave you…"

His eyes shot up to meet hers, and Rose gasped. They were…barely him. He was in there, he still knew her, thank goodness. But he looked completely and utterly destroyed from the inside out, his dark, fathomless eyes fixing on hers with an intensity that made her breath catch.

"_Rose,_" was the only thing he managed to croak out.

She stroked his cheek, his eyes closing at the contact. "It's okay, Doctor. It's gonna be okay, you hear me?"

"_Rose,_" he choked out again, pulling her towards him and nuzzling desperately against her neck, as if all he wanted to do was bury himself inside of her.

She turned towards her parents and the team. "We've gotta get back to the hotel…_now."_


	9. Chapter 8

**I've edited this chapter to reflect the new enforcement of the guidelines. The full, ADULT rated version can be found at my livejournal (username onabearskinrug) or on whofic dot com (username aintfraidanoghosts)**

The Doctor had Rose's hand in a vice grip the entire ride back to the hotel. He reminded Rose of a caged animal, ready to jump out of his own skin at any moment if it meant even some modicum of relief from his captivity. Rose felt completely, completely helpless. He had described hand holding as putting a band-aid on a bullet wound, and she felt that comparison acutely.

After nearly an hour of strained silence, Pete pulled the Jeep in front of the hotel. The Doctor sprang from the vehicle even before Pete had put the car in park, pulling Rose steadily towards the doors. He hadn't even bothered to grab their coats. She sent an apologetic look back at her mum and Pete, who both nodded in understanding.

The Doctor opted to tug her up the stairs rather than wait for a lift. He was still silent, his expression still stormy as they ambled up to the third floor. He led them down the hall to their room, deftly unlocked the door and pulled her inside.

Rose had barely locked the door behind her before the Doctor was upon her.

He grasped her shoulders and spun her around to face him. She caught a split second glance of his dark, desperate gaze before his lips found hers.

"Rose," he panted against her mouth. "I have to tell you…telepathic…"

"I guessed that much," she told him, moving her own lips down his neck and across his collarbone. "You need this, don't you?"

"Oh, yes," he breathed. "Need this…need _you…_"

She cupped his cheeks in her hands, tilting his face so she could look directly into his eyes. "Then take me. I'm yours, Doctor."

There was very little talk from that point on.

Rose wasn't entire sure if she was speaking out loud or in her mind as they eventually came down from their shared high. It may have been both for all she knew. Still, she focused on the words with a single-minded intensity, suddenly desperate and unable to hold them back.

* * *

><p>Once the stars behind his eyelids began fading, the Doctor slowly became aware of Rose lips against his hair, his cheek, his neck and their lingering link buzzing with contented warmth between them. It took him a few moments, but eventually, he knew that Rose was murmuring the same three words between each press of her lips against his skin.<p>

"I love you," she said, easily and freely as if this wasn't the most precious gift in all the world. "I love you, I love you, I love you…"

The Doctor cried out weakly and clutched her even closer to him, unable to say the words but flooding their mental connection with his own emotions, hoping to convey to her what she meant to him. She gasped and sagged against him, seemingly completely overwhelmed, unable to do much more than kiss him soundly.

She broke the kiss after a few moments, framing his face with her hands and regarding him intently. "Are you…okay now? Is this better?"

The Doctor sighed contentedly, pressing soft, lingering kisses anywhere he could reach. He couldn't seem to stop kissing her…what was _that _all about? "It is…you've no idea."

"Good," Rose whispered, returning his gentle caresses and kisses.

She was the one to break the silence first, laughing softly and pressing her forehead against his. "So…"

He grinned. "So…"

They exchanged a few more soft kisses, smiling against each other's mouths.

"'S hard to know what to say now," Rose murmured.

"Quite right," he mumbled back. Rather than discuss their lack of discussion further, the Doctor opted to grip Rose under her hips and pull her away from the door, smiling as she squeaked in surprise. He managed to maneuver them over to the bed, laying her down almost reverently across it.

Their link, still strong, flared with emotion once more between them. The Doctor leaned over and kissed Rose softly, helping her out of her ruined jumper. He, in turn, slipped out of his trainers and trousers, never breaking the kiss as he stretched out alongside her.

"That…wasn't how I'd planned for our first time," he admitted. "You, me, against the door of our hotel room…"

"I'd not exactly planned that either," Rose told him bashfully. "Still…I thought it was brilliant, yeah?"

"Yeah," the Doctor told her, grinning.

They continued kissing, growing bolder in their touches and caresses as the heat built between them once more.

"Why don't you show me then?" she panted against his mouth. "How you wanted it to be?"

"Rose Tyler," he practically growled. "I'd be delighted."

Rose giggled as he swept in for another heart-stopping kiss.

* * *

><p>Some time later, the Doctor stared up at the ceiling as Rose napped beside him. He felt at peace, at least for the time being. Rose's loving, soft presence in his mind was keeping the vast, echoing emptiness at bay.<p>

He'd never realized it could feel quite like this, though. He could always feel his people before the Time War, but that had been millions of impersonal, stuffy minds all parading around liked they owned the place. It almost paled in comparison to the warm, glowing, and personal connection to the woman in his arms.

On Gallifrey, the mental touch of a lover was something that was always spoken about in hushed, reverent tones. As young boys at the Academy, it had become something of a taboo subject. Time Lords were supposed to be above such nonsense. Especially when the mental presence was one of a _human_, a seemingly inferior species with no telepathic capabilities to speak of.

He knew that their connection wasn't permanent. This type of bond would fade eventually, the lack of skin contact relegating it to nearly nothing. It would be difficult to manage on a day-to-day basis, though not impossible. Staying in bed like this, holding her to him and making love throughout the day would keep her presence steady in his mind for some time, he hoped until they at least made it back to London. After that…

The Doctor considered Rose's opinion on a proper bonding, the Gallifreyian equivalent to marriage. It would be…incredible, he knew, to have her steady, constant presence in his mind. Even if they managed to return to the TARDIS, sharing that level of intimacy with Rose would be an impossibly good thing…if she wanted it.

They had to prepare, first. Rose would need to be tested for telepathy, to see if her mind could withstand the bond. Most humans were receptive when they were at their most unguarded. This generally only happened when they were asleep or in the throes of passion. However, many had natural capabilities that just needed to be nurtured or enhanced. He hoped this would be the case with Rose. Having spent two years inside a telepathic time ship, any ability she might have would be primed.

Then, of course, were the obvious concerns. Would she even want him like that? Bonding was…yes, like marriage, but on an entirely different level. She would never be alone in her own mind. Certainly there would be privacy, he couldn't just read her every thought without permission. And, with some training, she'd be able to shut him out to a certain degree. It was also permanent. The only way to break the bond was death…and not regeneration, on his part.

To the Doctor, this was not a new concept. He'd shared his consciousness with millions of other Time Lords. How would Rose react? They'd have to talk, he realized with a sigh. Should he get her a ring? He was, in a manner of speaking, asking her to marry him. He knew she didn't need one, probably wouldn't even expect one. Still, it was a human symbol, and it would certainly give a clear indication to any potential suitors that Rose was…_unavailable._

The Doctor clutched Rose tightly to him. She was, as always, everything he needed wrapped in a fragile pink-and-yellow package. The thought both terrified and elated him.

Rose snuffled lightly and curled even tighter against him. The Doctor sighed, running his fingers up and down her arm in a feather-light caress. For the moment, he was surprisingly content. He had Rose's consciousness buzzing peacefully in his mind, he'd just made love to her (_twice_…he added mentally with a smug grin), and she was curled up blissfully naked in his arms. He was warm, comfortable, and even a tad drowsy, despite sleeping at least a few hours the past two nights.

He shifted a bit, and Rose curled up on her side in an almost unconscious response. It was nearing noon, he wasn't sure if Pete would be expecting them to make an appearance at any point today. He wasn't too concerned, they'd have twenty-four hours in the Jeep the next day for discussion and debriefing. For now, he spooned up against Rose, one arm placed protectively over her waist and one cradling her neck, and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

><p>Eventually Rose and the Doctor each awoke from their respective naps. They shared a long, leisurely soak in the jacuzzi tub, stealing kisses and caresses that led to yet another enthusiastic bout of lovemaking as soon as they returned to the bed. Rose was almost in complete disbelief that their relationship had taken such a turn, so quickly. She knew he needed her, that making love kept her presence in his mind where he used to be able to feel the TARDIS, but she couldn't help feeling just a smidge of guilt that she was so giddily happy when they were now, officially and indefinitely, Trapped-With-A-Capital-T.<p>

The Doctor also seemed content, and she wasn't quite ready for the real world to intrude on their little idyll quite yet. She didn't bring up the TARDIS or Torchwood, eager to bring the Doctor some measure of peace, even just for a day. So they ordered supper in their room, the Doctor only donning a dressing gown long enough to answer the door and shedding it immediately after, joining her again in the bed with their plates as they talked and laughed through an easy dinner.

The only communication from their team was a quick text from Pete, letting Rose know that they would be leaving promptly at six the next morning. The Doctor sighed, seeming resigned when she shared this news. She wasn't looking forward to the long drive back to London, but at least they had a mission. The sooner they returned to Torchwood, the sooner they could start working on another way to get back.

She made love to the Doctor once more that evening, undulating on top of him and loving being able to watch his face, his expressions as she moved against him. He was wonderfully vocal, praising her in a mixture of English and Gallifreyan. Their link was pulsing with emotion and pleasure, and when the Doctor gripped her hips and let out a long, desperate moan, coming undone beneath her, Rose fell instantly over the edge with him.

* * *

><p>Rose awoke the next morning, still groggy in the dark room, to the Doctor's light, teasing caresses. She hummed sleepily, reaching back to thread her finger's in the Doctor's hair and he brushed kisses down her neck and shoulders.<p>

"Rose," he whispered against her skin. "Why do you need to sleep so much?"

He brushed a kiss across her cheek. "We need to get up, Rose. They'll be leaving in an hour or so."

"Don't wanna," she turned over and burrowed defiantly into his chest.

The Doctor chucked warmly as he stroked her hair. "Well, I don't blame you for that. But we don't want to miss our lift back to London. We'll have to take a _zeppelin_ back down."

Rose looked up at the Doctor, who was smiling softly down at her. "Hello," he murmured, pressing a light kiss to her lips.

"Hello," she smiled back before sighing. "All right, back to reality I suppose."

"Ah, yes…we are on a mission."

Rose sat up in bed, glancing down at the Doctor. She'd never seen him so disheveled. Completely nude, only covered by the thin sheet settled low on his hips, his hair completely on end, face slightly darkened with stubble and wearing a lovely, satisfied smile.

She could very easily get used to him looking like this.

"C'mon," she told him, gripping his hand. "Don't have much time, we'll just have to shower together. What a tragedy."

The Doctor's smile widened as she tugged him to the bathroom. "Oh, yes…the sacrifices we make."

Rose giggled as the Doctor gathered her in his arms and shut the door behind them.


	10. Chapter 9

**Thank you all so much for bearing with me through this! I have one more chapter written, and I'm going to try and juggle this multi-story thing that everyone is talking about! Many thanks to timelord1, who_in_whoville, and kelkat9 over on LJ for all of their love and help and support!**

Jackie glanced up from her mug of coffee at the sound of familiar giggles from the staircase. Rose and the Doctor were _finally _out of their room…fancy that. She'd no idea what they'd gotten up to the day before, but the Doctor looked a million times better than he did on that stupid beach.

The Doctor had their overnight bag slung over one shoulder, which immediately impressed Jackie. He wasn't the type to carry bags. Then again, Rose wasn't really the type to _need _someone carrying her bags. His other arm was slung over Rose's shoulder, holding her close while he nattered on about...well...whatever he'd decided to natter on about that day.

They approached the small dining room and Rose waved once they'd spotted her and Pete. Rose took the Doctor's free hand and led him through the room, dropping a kiss on Jackie's cheek when they reached the table.

"Mornin', Mum. Pete," Rose greeted cheerfully, the pair of them sitting down. "God, I'm _starving_."

"Hmm, I wonder why," the Doctor mused innocently as he glanced over the tea list.

Rose blushed a brilliant pink. "Doctor," she warned, to which he simply replied with a soft smile.

Jackie watched the interplay between the pair with interest. They were always affectionate, ever since he'd been all leather and big ears. Always holding hands and never letting the other one out of their sight, always _in tune_. Now, well...it was like no one else existed in the world. They were sitting as close as they could get without being in each other's laps. Their hands were clasped as always, thumbs absently stroking against one another's skin.

Jackie took all of this in. Then she recalled Rose's bright pink cheeks, plus the Doctor's smug smile...

_Oh, my God! They've shagged!_ She barely managed to keep this thought in her own head.

Rose caught her a gaze and sent her a Look, one they had perfected over the years that clearly meant, "Not. _Now_."

Jackie knew she should leave it alone; Rose was her little girl, but she was an adult and had a right to her choices. Even if her choice was a skinny alien with a thing for changing his face and putting her little baby girl in life-threatening danger every chance he got.

No. In fact, she wasn't about to leave it alone.

However, before she could open her mouth, the Doctor and Rose went to fill their mugs of coffee and prepare a plate of pastries to share between them. Rose must have decided that she was far too hungry to wait and eat at the table. She took a huge bite of a cherry danish, a bit of the filling escaping the pastry and falling on her lips.

What happened next made Jackie Tyler (_Jackie Tyler!)_ blush like a schoolgirl.

The Doctor's gaze turned from playful to heated in the blink of an eye. He cupped Rose's cheek and leaned over, slowly tracing his tongue along her lips. Rose's eyes closed and she visibly shuddered.

Once she had picked her jaw up off the floor, Jackie called out, "Oi! There's other people here besides yourselves, you two! Now stop actin' like a couple of randy twits and get back to this table!"

The pair of them jumped like two-year-olds caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Rose blushed brilliantly and picked up their plate, while the Doctor tugged uncomfortably on his ear and grabbed their mugs. They returned to the table with sheepish looks on their faces.

"Now you listen to me," Jackie started in on them. "I don't know what you two were up to all bleeding day, but I can tell it did you a world of good, Doctor. All I'm sayin' is keep it to yourselves while there's other people around, yeah? Have a little bit of shame? And just think about it, keeping it all in during the day…" She grinned cheekily at her daughter. "…means it'll explode in the bedroom later."

"Ugh, Mum! Really? Do you have to?" Rose said, a look of horror on her face.

"I…just…what I just heard…can't be unheard, Rose!" the Doctor moaned. He looked as though he wanted to clean out his ears with the sonic.

Jackie grinned evilly and turned her attention back to her breakfast.

However, the two apparently hadn't listened to a word she said. Forty minutes into the trip home, Jackie wasn't sure how much of this she could take. They were acting like a couple of teenagers, giggling softly and speaking in hushed tones. Then there was the necking, hands she could tell were roaming under the blanket, and the whispered, breathless words she couldn't make out but she knew were salacious.

"Don't make me have to come back there and sit between you two!" Jackie finally snapped. "Come on, hands above the blanket."

"How old am I?" Rose mumbled.

"How old am _I?"_ the Doctor muttered, and Rose giggled softly.

"Not too old for a slap, either of you," Jackie threatened. She pointed a finger at the Doctor. "Now I don't know who taught you your manners," she turned back to Rose. "But I know I raised you better than this, young lady! Honestly!"

Rose rolled her eyes before very pointedly removing her hands from under the throw. She held them up cheekily at her mother before resting them against the brightly-patterned fleece. She nudged the Doctor and shot him a pointed look, and he reluctantly did the same.

"There now," Jackie said, turning back towards the front of the Jeep. "Was that so hard?"

"Yes," they answered in identical, petulant tones.

Pete chuckled. "Blimey, you two are starting to sound like an old married couple."

"Yeah, that'll be the day," Jackie scoffed under her breath.

"Maybe it was already the day and you missed it," the Doctor sniped.

Jackie turned back in her seat, murderous expression firmly set on her face. Rose smacked the back of the Doctor's head and then spent the next sixty miles convincing her mother that she and the Doctor hadn't been married in secret on some remote planet.

* * *

><p>After Rose had managed to settle Jackie down, it took approximately fifteen minutes for the Doctor's hands to start wandering. Really, she should have been surprised at his impressive self-control, especially after spending nearly the entirety of the previous day snuggled in bed.<p>

Rose attempted to focus on her new novel, some popular series about a werewolf girl in love with a human boy, and the snooty vampire girl trying to steal him from her. Rose had been delighted when the salesgirl had described it to her, and the Doctor had made a comment about the drivel that humans put in print. However, by the time she realized that she'd read the same paragraph at least four times, the Doctor's questing fingers were tracing up and down her arms and his lips were impossibly close to her ear.

"Doctor," she warned, not looking up from her book.

"Rose," he mimicked in a whisper, lips ever-so-gently caressing the shell of her ear.

A tiny, barely-perceptible moan escaped her lips.

"That's _it_!" Jackie screeched. "Pete, pull over. Really, you two can't even be bothered to keep from groping in the company of others? You and I are switching, Doctor."

"Oh, Jackie, really? Do you have to? Our hands were above the blanket!" the Doctor pouted.

"Next time stop feeling up my daughter three feet away from me!"

Pete tried to cover his laugh with a cough as he radioed the two vans and let them know they were pulling over briefly. The small smile never left his face.

"Mum, really! 'S not like we were shagging in the back seat or anything!"

"You were well on your way!" Jackie cried. She stepped out of the Jeep and pulled open the Doctor's door. "Come on, you big prat. Shift."

The Doctor shot Rose one more look that could only be likened to a lost puppy dog. Rose smiled gently at him, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "Maybe we'll get probation for good behavior, yeah?"

The Doctor smiled weakly at her before taking a deep breath and exiting the vehicle. Jackie shot him a hard look as they switched, the Doctor sliding into the front seat.

"Pete!" he cried enthusiastically, extending his hand for a shake. "Been a while, eh? How's the family?"

Pete sighed before flicking on his turn signal and pulling back onto the highway.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, the Doctor was very close to falling apart. Without touching her, his mental contact with Rose was fading quickly. Rose had no idea that this bond wasn't permanent, which was why he was seemingly composed and supremely interested in the passing countryside. She had no idea that every moment he wasn't touching her was causing him to edge closer and closer to the cold, echoing void in his mind, where the only warmth was shining from her bright, loving presence. Still, he knew all too well that, eventually, even with constant contact, their tenuous bond would fade and they would need full contact to initiate another one. Not exactly something he could achieve in front of his in-laws.<p>

"Pete," Mickey's voice crackled through the radio, breaking the Doctor out of his silent torture. "You there?"

Pete rolled his eyes and picked up the radio. The Doctor nearly chuckled at how much he resembled Rose at that moment. "No, it's President Harriet Bleedin' Jones. Yes, I'm here, Michael. Everything all right?"

"Well, that depends, doesn't it?" Mickey snarked back. "What's it mean when all the little lights on the dashboard start blinking at once? I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count."

Pete swore colorfully under his breath. "Pull over, Micks. We'll take a look."

Grateful to have something else to focus on besides the absence of Rose in his arms, the Doctor hopped out of the Jeep with Pete and moved to the van in question. Mickey already had the hood open, inserting a dipstick into various engine parts to check the fluid levels.

The Doctor took a long sniff of the air around him. "Seems like you're low on oil, boys. Triggered one of your safety systems to fail, making the sensors in your car all go mad at once. Easily fixed, if you've got some oil handy? I can get in there with my sonic and…"

"No!" Jake, Mickey, and Pete all exclaimed at once.

The Doctor opened his mouth to begin his indignant tirade when a warm hand slipped effortlessly into his own. Immediately, his mental discomfort was forgotten as Rose's presence stabilized in his mind. He sighed and squeezed her hand gratefully.

"Don't mind them," she told him gently. "Come on, I need you over here anyway."

Confused, he allowed her to pull her past the broken-down beast and behind the second, identical one. "What could you _possibly_ need from me back here, Rose? Do you think they have any idea that I am, in fact, a genius? I could probably rebuild that engine to run on peach berry jam in the time it takes them to change the oil and they won't even let me near it! Do they even understand how _primitive…_oomph! Oh, hello!"

Rose had pulled them behind the second van and had enfolded him in her arms. He returned the embrace immediately, loving the way she pressed herself as close to him as humanly possible.

"Mmm, this is so much better than an early 21st century internal combustion engine," he murmured into her hair.

"This is so much better than _everything_," Rose countered, squeezing him tighter. "Felt like I was going _mad _in that Jeep, not being able to touch you."

"I know _exactly _what you mean." he told her.

They stood together just like that for several minutes in the chilly morning, rocking gently, enjoying one another's closeness.

"You all right?" Rose finally broke the silence, though her voice was muffled against his shirt.

"I'm always all right," he mumbled automatically.

Rose snorted indelicately. "Yeah, okay. Once more with feeling?"

The Doctor sighed, tightening his hold on Rose. "At the moment? I really am. You're _here_," he tapped his temple, "and I can feel you and it's really…better than I could have imagined."

Rose looked up at him and smiled softly. "Glad I could help. You never said how this works, you know. Just kinda…went with the flow yesterday. Not that I minded," her smile widened at the happy noise he made in his throat. "But really…"

"Really…it's, well…complicated." The Doctor removed one arm from her waist to scratch the back of his neck. "Do you remember what I told you on the beach? About telepathy being a sense?" Rose nodded. "Well, after the gap closed and I was cut off from the TARDIS, it was…bad. You were there, I don't need to tell you how bad. Imagine waking up and finding that you were completely alone, the last person in the universe. That's how it felt. That space, where I connected with the other Time Lords and bonded with the TARDIS, was suddenly as empty as the 98 Degrees Fan Club."

"So…really empty?"

"Oh, _so _empty. But then you came along," his voice took on a note of awe as he cradled her face gently in his hands. "Making love to you, apart from being _brilliant,_" Rose grinned cheekily, an expression that he returned before continuing. "It helped me create a temporary telepathic bond to you. You, Rose Tyler…you're keeping me sane, just by being you. What an amazing creature you are."

Rose's eyes suddenly took on a misty quality. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, deeply, their lingering link suddenly flaring with emotion so strong that the Doctor's knees nearly gave out.

"I love you," she whispered after they had broken apart.

The Doctor swallowed, fighting the words down. He wanted to say them, so badly. However, starting the bonding vows before Rose was even aware that such a thing existed or even before he knew if her mind could withstand it would not be the best of ideas.

The Doctor opened his mouth to try and start explaining, but Rose placed two fingers against his lips before he could get a word out. "'S okay, Doctor. I already know. In your own time, yeah?"

The Doctor gazed at Rose, his lovely girl, hair blowing wildly in the wind. For the first time in all of his regenerations, he _wanted_ to stand still, just for a little while, and just _look _at her.

Until, of course, he caught the absolute strangest but _familiar_ scent on the wind.

He pulled away from Rose abruptly, turning in a circle and sniffing madly, trying to determine where the odor was coming from. Rose began to question him, but dutifully trotted after him when he took off in the direction of the adjacent wheat field.

"Doctor, what are you doing? We can't just waltz into a field! This is someone's property!"

"Like that's ever stopped us before," he called back to her. "Can't be much further now…"

"What are we even looking for?"

"Not entirely sure, it could be completely different in this universe. Just following my nose!"

"That didn't help Toucan Sam much, did it?"

"Honestly, Rose, sometimes you make absolutely no sense. Ah, here we are!"

There was a small disturbance in the row of wheat where the Doctor stopped, barely perceptible in the miles and miles of waving, golden crops. Up close, Rose could see several of the stalks were bent at awkward angles and, nestled at the bottom, was what looked like a toy rocket shop.

Except that this rocket was smoldering.

The Doctor crouched down, immediately pulling the sonic screwdriver from his suit pocket and scanning the craft. "There's life signs on board, Rose! They're must be choking in there!"

"What are you waiting for, then? Get them out!" Rose crouched down next to him and took off her jacket, draping it over her arms and picking up the little rocket ever so gently, trying desperately not to jostle it too much.

The Doctor pointed his sonic at the hatch. It swung open, and two tiny creatures poured out of the ship and right into the Doctor's waiting hands.

He began soothing the poor, panicked aliens in a language that Rose didn't recognize. Then again, she'd never actually _heard _him speak anything other than English. He'd bragged enough about his five billion languages, and part of her was thrilled she was finally able to experience it.

Eventually, the little aliens (who oddly resembled miniature Wookies; bipedal and very, very furry) calmed down and began chattering back to him in high-pitched voices. Rose listened to them converse, completely out of the loop but feeling a small bubble of pride at seeing the Doctor in his element, helping those who couldn't help themselves.

"Rose," the Doctor's jovial voice brought her back to the present situation and the still-smoking spaceship wrapped in her jacket. "This is…well…their names aren't pronounceable to the human tongue, so we'll just call them Bob and Joy. They're from Specularis 7, about the size of Pluto but very, _very _far away."

"Oh," Rose breathed, leaning in close to inspect the tiny creatures. They stood at about six inches tall, and both fit in the Doctor's palm comfortably. Their features were so small that she could barely make them out, but it seemed like they were smiling at her. "Can I…?"

"Offer them your pinky…they shake hands as a greeting, just like us. Don't worry, I've told them you won't hurt them."

Rose did just that, slowly offering her pinky to the Specularians. Rose's expression turned to one of complete delight as they each grasped a side of the finger and pumped it heartily up and down. "Can you tell them hello from me?"

The Doctor beamed, and began chatting heartily with Bob and Joy once more. Eventually, he handed them off to Rose in exchange for their spaceship for a proper tinkering.

"Seems like the software for their solar shields wasn't programmed for Earth's sun. The unfamiliar technology clashed with their navigation system and BANG, electrical fire, emergency landing. But then their hatch jammed and they couldn't get out. Lucky we were here. Although, the electrical interference may have been what affected the van. Tiny little ship, but extremely powerful."

Rose watched with glee as the two little aliens began joyously climbing and bouncing through the dips and valleys of her jacket. "You can fix it, right?"

"Oh, absolutely," he assured her, pulling on his specs and squinting at the tiny ship. "Delicate work, but should be an easy fix. We'll have them flying again in no time."

For the next quarter of an hour, Rose watched the Doctor work, occasionally holding little pieces of the rocket as the Doctor repaired the damaged console and navigation system and reprogrammed the solar shields. He even managed a little trick with the door, doing his best to ensure it wouldn't jam on them again. Rose alternated between helping the Doctor and watching Bob and Joy chase each other around the slippery lining of her jacket.

"I think we're there!" the Doctor exclaimed, setting the rocket gently on the ground and sonic-ing the hatch open. He chattered with them briefly, before offering his pinky. Rose did the same, delighted once again when they each grasped on to her and shook it enthusiastically. The Doctor ushered them into their ship and pulled Rose a few feet away as the little rocket took off.

"What was _that?"_

Rose turned to see their entire party jogging through the field to where they were, Mickey in the lead. "We were yelling for you for the last ten minutes and what were you two doing? Finding the only aliens in all of Norway, that's what."

"Specularians," the Doctor corrected, taking Rose's hand in his and beaming. "Their ship malfunctioned. I got them back into the air."

"You repaired…a spaceship?" Pete asked in complete disbelief. "An actual, alien spaceship? Blimey, I have the greatest staff in existence. Come on, the van's working. We need to get going. Oh, and Doctor?" Pete offered him a saucy grin. "I'll expect a full report on my desk by Friday. Are we clear?"

Rose giggled at the horrified look on the Doctor's face. She gripped his hand tightly and gave Pete a bright smile. "We're on it first thing, boss!"

* * *

><p>The Doctor opted for the midnight driving shift. Considering he'd had a week's worth of sleep in the past few days, he was alert and refreshed while his human companions were dropping like flies.<p>

He chanced a quick look at Rose. She was droning on sleepily, not making much sense, occasionally drifting off into silence before jerking awake a few moments later and scolding him for letting her fall asleep. He smiled softly at the adorable, sleepy image his _someone _presented, wrapped up in the soft throw, hair mussed and eyes half-closed.

Rose glanced behind her. Jackie and Pete were sprawled across the seat, both fast asleep. She turned back to the Doctor and grinned teasingly, tongue caught between her teeth. "Mum and Dad are asleep…"

The Doctor glanced at their unmoving, splayed forms and grinned back. "Well, yes, I suppose they are."

She slid sensuously across the bench seat. "Well, you know what that means, don't you?"

"I believe I do, Rose Tyler," he purred back. "It means we can't get yelled at for doing _this_." He lifted his arm in invitation and waggled his eyebrows. Laughing, Rose slid into place against him, his arm draping around her shoulders and pulling her tight into his side.

"Mmm," Rose mumbled. "You're going to get me all sleepy."

"You _are _all sleepy. No one will care if you close your eyes. We've got a lovely day at Torchwood ahead of us and _you, _Miss Tyler, have a great deal of paperwork to get through."

Rose slapped his torso gently. "Then it'll be _you _they come after, Dr. Smith, when I write that the Specularians were 12-foot-tall disco-dancing aliens who just wanted to teach a rowdy baseball team the true meaning of Christmas."

The Doctor chuckled. "Oh, alright then. I suppose I can help with the details. No reason to get me in trouble with the boss."

Rose smiled and curled up closer against him. He glanced over at her, the lights of the motorway reflecting off her hair and illuminating her porcelain skin. She looked as though she was bathed in a flickering, golden glow. She was gorgeous.

The sat together in silence for a long time. The Doctor was nearly positive that she had drifted off until she mumbled his name sleepily.

"Doctor," she began, looking up at him with half-lidded eyes. "You know…you're still you, right?"

Surprised, he looked down at her. Whatever he'd been expecting her to say, this was most definitely very far down on the list. "Of course I'm still me, Rose. Who else would I be? A Slitheen?"

Rose laughed at this. "Nah, too slim. And a far better kisser...I would guess. Not that I really have any way to compare you to the Slitheen because...ew."

He grinned. "I'd have to reconsider our entire relationship if your reaction had been anything else. So…what d'you mean, then? That I'm still me?"

Rose sighed. "'S just…I know how you define yourself. Last of the Time Lords and all that. And I just sorta guessed that you'd be thinking about what kind of Time Lord you could be without your TARDIS. I know you'll miss her, being in another universe after you've been together for so long. But even without her, you're still the Doctor. You still make things better. And you proved that today."

The Doctor was completely unprepared for how her words would affect him. He swallowed against the sudden lump in his throat as he gazed down at Rose. His wonderful, incredible, absolutely-essential-to-his-very-existence Rose. He pressed his lips firmly to the crown of her head, eyes closing briefly against the sheer rush of emotions crashing through him.

"Thank you," he breathed, returning his eyes to the road reluctantly, but pulling Rose even tighter against him.

"'S just the truth. No need to thank me," she mumbled through a huge yawn. Unable to fight it any longer, her eyes drifted shut, her breathing turned slow and even, and the Doctor felt their light, fading link drift into peaceful slumber.


	11. Chapter 10

**Please note that this chapter contains sexual references. If you'd like to read the full adult version of this chapter, feel free to go to my livejournal (username: onabearskinrug...sorry, I fail at linking in both my profile and within the story :-D).**

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Their arrival in London only allotted enough time to freshen up briefly before piling into their usual town car, Rose and Pete each clutching travel mugs of coffee. The Doctor sat next to Rose, his arm draped around her as she dozed. He could tell she was absolutely knackered, the broken sleep she'd had over the last few days was catching up to her. Maybe after today she could get some rest. She'd been working so hard at Torchwood and taking care of him, Mickey, her mum, even Pete. Maybe they could hop the train to Cardiff for a long weekend. They could make love whenever they wanted and she could rest and he could bring up the possibility of binding themselves telepathically for the rest of her life.

He sighed. Planning a mini-break. Marriage proposals. Here they were, officially stranded for less than three days and he'd already been domesticated.

The car pulled into the parking garage and from that point on, he didn't have much time to linger in his thoughts. The three of them planned their day briefly in the lift. Rose volunteered to work with Mickey's teammates on their piles of paperwork and even offered to begin a report on the Specularian Incident, even though it wasn't _technically _a Torchwood-sanctioned mission. Pete had explained to them on the ride back from Norway how much they valued information, and having as much as they could on different species could prove essential in the future.

The Doctor would be working within the satellite department again, performing final scans and gathering data to close the project. His hearts sank a little at the thought, but he knew that he'd be able to keep researching, to keep looking for a way back. He may not have the resources available now, but he had time. He was, after all, a Time Lord.

Rose turned to him as soon as they stepped off the lift and smiled a bit wistfully. "Have fun with out friends over in Scanning and Monitoring." She kissed him gently on the cheek and turned to walk in the opposite direction to him

"Wait, what?" he asked. Wasn't she coming with him? "Aren't you coming with me? You can do your paperwork at one of the desks! Elliot would let you have his in a heartbeat!"

Rose laughed. "I'm sure. But I have to go to the offices. I need to meet up with Carrie and Liza. They're going to show me the format for reports and help me with all those blasted forms that you have no patience for. There's not enough desk space to spare for all of us."

"But…but…" he sputtered. "You're…my assistant! I need you to…assist…me," he finished lamely. He was sure he was coming off as a lost puppy.

Rose knew exactly what he was after. She moved closer to him and touched his cheek. "I don't want to let Pete down. He'll have a lot to answer to if things aren't done properly. I won't be far away, and I'll come get you at lunchtime, yeah?

Lunchtime. Three hours. Could he survive three hours? Their link was fading, as it had been so long since they'd been intimate, and lack of contact with her could dwindle it down to nothing before he could reestablish the connection.

He took a deep breath. Three hours. He was nine hundred years old. Three hours was the blink of an eye for him.

"Lunch, yeah," he told her. "I'll see you for lunch." He looked around, making sure no one was watching, and touched his lips to hers, trying to infuse this gentle contact with every bit of emotion he felt for her.

Rose smiled gently at him after they broke apart. "I love you," she said. "I'll see you soon?"

He nodded, his hearts beginning to pound in panic the moment she turned to walk away from him.

* * *

><p>The Doctor should have known that the next three hours would be borderline <em>Hellish. <em>He'd been subjected to the worst forms of physical and mental torture over the last 900 years, and he hoped the despots of the universe would never get wind that the best way to get him to roll over and do anything they asked was to deprive him of Rose Tyler's touch.

He was a blur of motion, moving from department to department, barely ceasing in even talking for the fear that the moment he sat still, he would fall to pieces and no one would know how to put him back together.

Finally, about ten minutes to noon, he was sitting at his preferred computer terminal, entering data with the focus and precision of a neurosurgeon. He was completely unaware of the flurry of activity around him, completely oblivious to everything except the numbers in his mind and the data on the screen.

Until she leaned over his shoulder and asked him gently how things were going. He closed his eyes as she assaulted his senses, the smell of her strong in his nose and even her pheromones flavoring the air around them. He was drunk on her instantly, overcome with so much wanting that he could not fathom why she wasn't in him arms as of ten seconds ago.

Then, her fingertips grazed against his hand. The feather-light touch was enough to break him.

He stood up so suddenly that nearly everyone around him turned to look. Rose started, jumping back from the terminal quickly. He could see her lips moving, in fact he was rather fixated on the motions, but he couldn't hear her questions over the rushing in his own ears. All he knew was that she was _there, _close enough to touch, and he _needed _her.

He grasped Rose's hand, feeling a modicum of relief at the contact. The rushing in his head stopped, his hearts slowed their galloping pace a fraction, and he was able to gather his wits enough to announce that they were off to lunch and wouldn't they please get in touch if anything exciting happened? He pulled Rose out of the room and down the hall, not bothering to answer her questions of where they were going and didn't he know the way to the cafeteria by now? Instead, he stopped at the first copy room he found, practically threw her in ahead of him, and sealed the door behind him.

"Doctor, what are you-mmmph…"

He imagined it was hard to speak around his entire mouth enveloping hers.

* * *

><p>Not giving them a chance to catch their breath, he turned Rose around and held her to him, pressing his face into her neck and inhaling the scent of her skin. Their link pulsed contently through their minds, completely sated and brimming with emotion. She whispered how much she loved him over and over as he held her.<p>

"I'm sorry," he murmured when he regained the ability to speak. "I don't know what came over me…well, I do, but…I didn't expect it to hit me so hard."

Rose sighed. "I'm not complaining, mind you, but we can't keep doing this. We have a job to do. We can't keep sneaking off to copy rooms for a shag whenever we want. I'm going to have to be away from you sometimes."

"I know," he said. "You've been a remarkably good sport about everything so far. Suppose I'm not surprised we'd have to consider being practical eventually."

Rose giggled. "It's not like I mind shagging you any hour of the day. 'S just…we need a balance, yeah? How're we gonna do that when these…moods…are so unpredictable?"

The Doctor gulped. They really weren't _that _unpredictable, but Rose had no way of knowing that. More than likely she wasn't even aware of their link when they weren't making love. Was it too soon to bring up the more permanent solution? Was it even the time or place? Here they were, half-naked in a Torchwood copy room…did he really want to essentially propose marriage to her _now?_

_ Oh, sod it,_ he thought before taking a deep breath through his nose and tugging his ear nervously. "Well, there is _something…_been meaning to mention it, too…"

The trilling of Rose's mobile interrupted him. She giggled as he swore rather colorfully in his native language, letting his head fall to her shoulder in frustration. Rose dug the device out of her jacket pocket.

"It's Mickey," she told him. "Hey, Micks, can I…" She trailed off and looked at the Doctor with wide eyes. "Yeah, he's here…oh, shut up…yeah…yeah okay I'll tell him." She pushed a button on the phone and returned her attention to the Doctor. "Apparently there's something weird going on over at Royal Hope. Some sort of energy fluctuations that they don't recognize. They wanted to see if you could come along, give your input if you can spare the time. You up for it?" She asked him this last bit with a huge smile, tongue caught firmly between her teeth.

The Doctor's answering smile was luminous. "Oh, Rose Tyler, I am up for it." He swept in and kissed her soundly. "Need to stop down at my desk, there's a scanner I've been working on that might be helpful…might need to take a quick trip to the café, could use a spot of tea…" He trailed off at the sound of Rose's tinkling laughter. "What?"

Rose giggled some more. "You forgetting something, Doctor?"

He peered at her, confused. "What?"

She giggled harder, pointing to his trousers, which were still pooled around his ankles.

"Ah, yes…that," he coughed a bit, pulling away from Rose to straighten himself up a bit. Rose took the time to do the same, adjusting her skirt back down to the proper length, sighing at the destroyed blue lace on the floor.

"You owe me a new pair," she scolded him gently, tucking the garment into his bigger-on-the-inside pockets. She adjusted her blouse and ran her hands once more down the length of her skirt. "How's this? Will I do?" she asked the Doctor, turning around as best as she could in the cramped space.

"Hmmm," he mused, stepping forward to smooth down her hair, giving her a sweet, lingering kiss in the process. "You're perfect. _Especially _with no knickers." He sent her a sultry smile.

Rose grinned at him. "I've created a monster. You ready?"

"Oh, absolutely. The old team on an adventure, eh?" He grabbed her hand. "_Allons-y!"_

* * *

><p>"I can't believe I let you talk me into this!" Rose hissed at the Doctor. The next morning found her in a hospital bed, feigning stomach pains and dressed in a particularly horrid flannel nightgown.<p>

"If you want to know what's going on, get on the inside!" the Doctor told her, leafing through one of the trashy magazines he'd picked up.

"I thought it was work in the kitchens," Rose told him.

"Well, that would hardly do us any good, would it? Oh, no…not this again! Brangelina, Rose! I can't believe they're a thing in this universe, too! All these parallels and not one of them gets it right."

"Doctor, could we focus, please?" Rose demanded. "Why's it always me, hm? Why couldn't you get admitted?"

"Rose…I'm…two hearts, remember?" he answered, giving her that look like she'd just dribbled on her shirt. "All it would take is a stethoscope and one stressed out med student and it could mean disaster. Do you want disaster, Rose?"

"No," she retorted petulantly.

"Good, I'd have to rethink this whole thing if you'd said 'yes'. Mickey and the rest of the gang are right outside, just waiting for us to sneak around and give them some intel. Those plasma coils are incredibly suspicious. Now, be a good little patient and rest," he told her, putting down the magazine and taking her hand. "Cheer up a bit, I got you flowers, didn't I? At least _this _hospital has a little shop!"

Rose couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face. "Yeah, at least someone got it right."

"Oh yes," he breathed, leaning in and kissing her gently.

The sound of someone clearing their throat impatiently caused the pair to break apart, Rose blushing brilliantly as the group of medical students shuffled in with their stern supervisor. The Doctor, of course, lounged in his chair, looking perfectly at ease and not the least bit embarrassed.

"Miss Tyler," Mr. Stoker, who had checked in on her earlier, greeted her genially. "How are you feeling since this morning?"

"Oh, you know…a bit…so-so," she finished lamely.

"Oh, look at that! She's a poet and she doesn't even know it!" The Doctor smiled brilliantly.

"And Dr. Smith! Have you been watching over our patient?"

"Oh, like a hawk," he fixed the group of students with a grin and a wink. Several of the girls blushed and immediately began intently studying their notes.

"Miss Tyler was admitted this morning with stomach pains and dizziness. Jones, why don't you see what you can find-amaze me."

A young, attractive student stepped out of the group and immediately smiled at Rose. "Hello, I'm Martha."

"Rose," she greeted, stretching out her hand for a gentle shake. "And this great lump over here is Dr. John Smith…my…boyfriend."

Martha shook the Doctor's hand before turning back to Rose. She placed the bell of the stethoscope against Rose's abdomen and fixed the buds in her ears. "Well, might as well get the obvious out of the way. Any chance you're pregnant?"

"WHAT?" Rose nearly started giggling on the spot. "No, no definitely not." She laughed a bit more, until a sobering thought occurred to her. They'd shagged…a lot. It hadn't even occurred to her to use protection. She could practically feel the blood draining from her face as she turned to the Doctor, her expression panicked. "Wait…I'm not, right?"

"What? No!" The Doctor leaned forward to calm Rose down lest she start hyperventilating, while the students watched them curiously. "No, Rose, sweetheart you're not. We're not…" He was about to go into the science of their genetic compatibility before he remembered they were not alone in the room. "I had an…illness, long time ago. Sterile as a mule, me."

A young female student in the back snorted. "Yeah, I've heard that one before."

"Hold on!" Rose interrupted, turning back to the Doctor. "Mules are sterile?"

"Well…yeah," he told her, taken aback by the abrupt shift to the conversation. "They're hybrids, of course they're sterile."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt," Martha said. "But is there any chance you're mistaken? You are sexually active?"

"Oh, I knew these domestics would kill me eventually," the Doctor muttered, running his hands over his face.

Rose glared at him, her cheeks a bright pink. "We are, but…"

"We'll order a test, just to be safe," Mr. Stoker said, picking up Rose's chart, immediately dropping it on the floor as a bright spark of electricity shocked his hand.

"That happened to me this morning!" Martha started.

"And me!" another student piped up.

"Well, I'm not surprised," Mr. Stoker interjected. "There's a thunderstorm moving in, lightning being a form of static electricity as first proven by…anyone…?"

"Ooh! Benjamin Franklin!" Rose piped up.

The Doctor beamed at her. "Well done, Rose! Wait…was it?" he looked at the group for confirmation. "Was it Benjamin Franklin in this universe? Or someone completely barmy like George Washington?"

"Er…no, Dr. Smith…it was Mr. Franklin…" he turned to one of the students and the Doctor could just make out him whispering, "Perhaps a visit from psychiatric…"

* * *

><p>"And I'm <em>telling <em>you Rose, you would not believe what I had to go through to _find _the stupid thing, let alone find another hiding place for it."

"It's in the attic, isn't it?"

The Doctor stared, gaping at her, before shutting his mouth and rubbing the back of his neck in discomfort. "No, Rose, 'course not. Why would I be stupid enough to hide the Holy Grail in the TARDIS attic? That's just…just…"

Rose grinned at him and was about to come back with a remark about his housekeeping when her mobile began chirping. She surreptitiously removed it from the pocket of her nightgown and placed it to her ear. "Mickey? Everything okay?"

"Rose, I don't know what's going on, but you and the Doctor should get out of there. And I mean five minutes ago."

"What are you on about?" she asked, gesturing to the Doctor for her bag. "We've only been here a few hours and…"

"No, Rose, there's something weird going on…those storm clouds are only around the hospital and…oh, my God…"

"What?" Rose hissed, hopping up from the bed as the Doctor tugged the curtain closed around them so she could get dressed. "Mickey? What's wrong? What's happened?"

"Rose…the rain…"

It was at that moment the entire hospital shifted. Rose was thrown to the ground, her mobile scattering across the floor and the Doctor tumbling on top of her. He immediately wrapped her in his arms, cradling her head to protect her from injury. Patients around them were screaming, carts and instruments were crashing against the walls and onto the floor, and the lights were flickering. It was like something out of those stupid natural disaster movies her mum was so fond of.

After what felt like a million years, but most likely was only a few minutes, the hospital was still once again. Rose allowed the Doctor to pull her up and onto her shaky legs as he immediately began checking her for injuries.

"You're all right? Nothing broken?"

"I think so. Might have a bruise or two…"

"Good, remind me to kiss them better later. For now, get dressed. I'm going to go see what's going on. Don't wander off!" he warned, darting out into the hall.

Rose dressed as quickly as she could. She was just lacing up her trainers when she remembered Mickey on the phone.

The Doctor had used the parts from her old phone to upgrade her new one. She could get a signal anywhere, any when once more. He hadn't had a chance to replicate the technology yet, so if that phone was lost, they'd never be able to replace it. She swore softly and got down on her hands and knees, crawling around on all fours until she found the phone, caught in the wheels of her hospital bed.

She could immediately hear Mickey yelling her name as she placed the phone to her ear and straightened up. "Mickey, it's all right, we're fine."

"You're gone, Rose! The entire hospital just disappeared! The scanners are going completely mad!"

"Rose!"

She glanced over at the Doctor, who was grinning madly at her, Martha Jones not far behind him. "You'll never guess! We're on the _moon!"_


	12. Chapter 11

**Thank you everyone so much for your awesome reviews and lovely comments! This chapter is rated T. Enjoy!**

"Mickey, I'm going to have to call you back…"

"Rose, don't you dare-"

She clicked the phone shut and turned to the Doctor and Martha. "Okay, start from the beginning and don't leave anything out."

Martha was gaping at her. "How is your phone working? Mine completely cut out."

"Never mind that now!" Rose exclaimed. "How are we even _breathing?_"

"Now there's the question, Rose Tyler," the Doctor said, glancing around the small space thoughtfully. "Martha, is there a balcony anywhere?"

"Just off the patient's lounge."

The Doctor grinned at Rose. "Well, ladies…fancy going out?"

Rose grinned back. "You're completely mad."

"Martha?"

Martha was looking between them as if she had no idea what to make of such a pair. "Oh…kay…"

"We might die…" the Doctor warned in a grave voice.

"We might not," Martha replied in the same tone.

"Oh, I like you, Martha," Rose smiled at her and grabbed the Doctor's hand. "Go on, lead the way!"

Martha hurried along, attempting to calm down the patients and staff on her way. Rose had to admire her, even in this deadly serious, unknown situation, she was keeping her wits and thinking of her patients. A doctor through and through.

They had reached the patient's lounge. The Doctor and Martha each had a hand on the door, but the Doctor was looking at Rose meaningfully. "No chance I could get you to stay inside, is there?"

"No way!"

"Thought as much," he squeezed her hand. "Keep close to me."

"Always."

"Ready, Martha?" the Doctor turned back to the young woman. "And…"

They pushed open the doors at the same time and Rose couldn't contain the gasp of amazement. The Doctor had taken her to so many places, so many beautiful worlds that completely took her breath away. But for all the places he took her, and despite how many times she asked, he'd never taken her to Earth's moon. Now, here she was, gazing at her home planet suspended in space and surrounded by stars.

"'S gorgeous," Rose breathed. She let go of the Doctor just long enough to loop their arms together and clasp his hand between hers. "You take me to the best places."

The Doctor looked down at her and smiled warmly. "Just like old times, eh?"

"I can't believe this," Martha said, completely awestruck. "We're on the moon! We're on the bloody moon!"

"Quick on the uptake, this one," the Doctor teased. "So, Martha Jones, your hospital is scooped up out of the ground and deposited on the moon, kept breathing by a...hold on…" He picked up a small rock from the balcony and tossed it onto the landscape. It bounced harmlessly off an invisible barrier. "…force field. Discuss."

Martha was still staring, half in awe and half completely bewildered. "Extraterrestrial. Definitely. I know, a few years ago that would have sounded mad but now…with that Christmas star and those metal men a few years back? Not so far fetched anymore. Hold on," she broke off, turning to look at the Doctor and Rose. "If this is all the air we've got, what happens when it runs out?"

The Doctor's face turned stony. "How many people in the hospital?"

"I dunno, a thousand?"

"One thousand people, suffocating," the Doctor added, his voice hard. "One of those people would be Rose. And that just pushed it to a whole new level."

Almost as if on cue, Rose was nearly deafened by the roaring of ship engines. Three huge, cone-shaped vessels were bearing down on the moon's surface, opening at the bottom and letting out long lines of dark figures.

"Doctor," Rose asked, nervous. "What are they?"

"Judoon," he answered gravely. "Let's just hope they're the same in this universe as in ours. Rose, Martha, come on!"

* * *

><p>The three of them had managed to hide on the second level of the hospital, the Doctor explaining quickly to Martha and Rose about the Judoon being intergalactic police-for-hire and how they had no jurisdiction over the Earth. Hence, they used an H2O scoop and sent the entire hospital to the moon.<p>

"Oh, they're cataloging the humans," the Doctor breathed. "They must be looking for some non-human in hiding. Which is bad news for me…"

"Why is that?" Martha asked absently.

Rose had to bite her lip to hide the smile on her face. She couldn't help it, the Doctor was adorable when he was giving people the "you're-so-clever-how-could-you-not-figure-this-out-look." Martha finally realized what he was trying to tell her around the same time Rose did.

"Oh, my God, Doctor, are you safe?" she asked, holding tighter onto his hand.

"Probably not," he said. "Rose, I need you to buy us some time. Do you have your Torchwood ID?"

"Yeah, 'course I do. Why?"

"I'm going to try and stay out of the way so I can find out who's hiding in the hospital. I need you to flash your ID around, be an advocate for the human race. The people will calm down if they see someone taking charge."

"No way!" Rose protested. "I can't do that! Number one, I don't want to leave you! Number two, I can't confront these…massive…rhinos! Couldn't even get the Sycorax to back down, remember? And what about you?" She gripped his hand and gave him a meaningful look. "Are you gonna be…okay?"

"Rose," the Doctor started, cradling her face in his hands. "Don't worry about me. I should be fine for a few hours. You have more experience with aliens than anyone else in this hospital…_well_…except for me of course. You are brave and strong and absolutely brilliant! Start using that Torchwood reputation to your advantage. _You can do this, _Rose. I have complete faith in you."

Rose smiled and covered his hands with hers. "Yeah?"

"_Yes,_" the Doctor breathed vehemently, pressing his lips to hers briefly before pulling away. "Sorry, that might cause you some trouble but you should be fine in the end. Come on, Jones, we've got to get access to the patient files."

"Be careful, both of you," Rose warned.

"I'm always careful," the Doctor replied, giving her a winning smile and scurrying off with Martha on his heels.

Rose turned her attention back to the events below her. People were terrified. Granted, the Judoon weren't doing anything particularly harmful, but still, she knew better than anyone how humans could react when they were scared for their lives. She didn't want to see anyone get hurt.

She reached into her pocket and found the small leather case holding her Torchwood ID. Steeling her nerve, she stood up, channeled every bit of the Doctor that she could. If she concentrated, she could almost feel his faith and support pulsing gently in the back of her mind. She took a deep breath and began to talk.

"Oi, Judoon!"

If the giant rhino's faces could register any expression, she was sure it would be shock.

"You will be catalogued," one immediately grunted out.

"Well, let me save you some trouble. My name is Rose Tyler," she held up her identification. "I represent the Torchwood Institute. We are the foremost authority on extraterrestrials on planet Earth and you have just violated about a hundred protocols."

"We were not made aware of any protocols."

"You should have done your research. May I approach? Then I promise, you can catalogue me…or whatever it is you're doing."

The Judoon leader seemed to consider her for a moment, before grunting, "Approach."

"Thank you." Rose started down a set of stairs, and the Judoon were immediately upon her. She tried not to let her nerves show as they shined a blue light on her head.

"Human," the leader confirmed before the device squeaked once more. "Wait, non-human element suspected. Authorize full scan."

The leader practically pressed Rose against the wall. Though her heart was pounding in fear, she did not break her gaze. The scanner pinged once again, before the leader pronounced her human, marking her hand with a black X and offering her a paper covered in odd black symbols.

"Compensation," he explained. "Now, explain these protocols."

Rose gulped. She had no idea if they had broken anything at all, but she knew it was customary for any aliens to coordinate with Torchwood if they needed planet Earth for any reason. Just scooping a hospital to the moon to find one fugitive? It seemed a bit excessive.

She recalled a bit of what the Doctor said about galactic law and began talking in the most authoritative voice she could muster up. "The Torchwood Institute is the planet's ambassadors and the sole defense to any non-human affairs. If you were looking for a fugitive on Earth, we would have provided you with any resources we could and coordinated a capture and rescue. Instead, you decided to lift a hospital containing a thousand humans, encase it in a force field, and terrify these poor people half to death. There is a reason these protocols are in place, sir. We do not want the population to foster a negative image of all visitors to our planet."

Rose stopped to take a breath, proud that she had managed to keep her voice steady throughout her entire speech. In fact, she thought she managed to sound pretty convincing.

"We do not wish to have an adverse relationship with your Institute," the Judoon leader stated. "You are the representative. We will coordinate with you."

"Oh," Rose stated, surprised. What did she do _now?_ "Well, before you go barreling through the hospital, let me warn them, yeah? Just so there's no panic. You do what you have to do down here, wait for me to make an announcement, and then come on up. I'll find the intercom system and try to keep it in order."

The leader looked at her for a moment before answering. "Confirmed. Judoon, catalogue this floor and then we move."

"Thank you," Rose said, turning to the group of humans who had gathered to listen to their proceedings. "Don't worry, everyone. They're not here to hurt you. They just want to make sure everyone's human. So long as you're not from Mars or anything, you don't have anything to worry about. Just cooperate and make things go as smoothly as possible, yeah?"

"Er…Miss Tyler?" an older woman raised her hand. "Will we ever get home?"

Rose tried to muster up her most confident smile. "Yes, we will do our best to make sure we get back. I can communicate with agents who were outside of the hospital and see what they can do from their end. All right?"

The woman smiled gratefully at her. Rose returned the expression, before turning on her heel to the reception desk and making a quick and authoritative announcement over the loudspeaker. Once that was done, she headed for the stairwell to try and find the Doctor and reassure people along the way that all was under control. She pulled out her mobile as she moved and winced at the seventeen missed calls from Mickey, Torchood, and her father.

She dialed Mickey and quickly gave him an update on the situation, letting him know that they ought to start trying to find a way to get them home, just in case. She explained about the oxygen, reassured the team that she and the Doctor had everything under control, and asked them to please let her mum and Pete know that they were all fine.

She hung up quickly and headed up the stairs, determined to find the Doctor and Martha so they could find this fugitive and get the hospital back home as soon as possible.

* * *

><p>It was getting harder and harder to breathe, and Rose knew the oxygen would run out soon. The staff were doing all they could, offering breathing tanks to as many patients as possible, but she knew there weren't enough for everyone. She had to find the Doctor and <em>fast<em>, before all of these people suffocated.

Almost immediately, Rose crashed into Martha, who looked panicked. "Rose, hurry, I know who you're looking for! Get the Judoon, she's in the MRI room!"

"Oi, Judoon!" Rose called. The group that was on this floor, including the leader all turned to look at her. "Come on, Martha knows where we can find your fugitive!"

The large group moved to the MRI room. The first thing she noticed was the machine sparking and crackling with power.

The second thing she noticed was those horrible, black-leather creatures drop a deathly pale Doctor to the floor.

"No!" Rose cried out, pushing past the group of Judoon to kneel by the Doctor. "What did you to do him? Tell me!"

"Oh, this poor man just collapsed from fright!" a woman Rose vaguely knew was called Mrs. Finnegan told them.

"No, that's not possible!" Rose exclaimed, moving to cradle the Doctor's head in her lap. He was limp as a rag doll and his face was completely ashen. The only time she'd ever seen him like this was immediately after regenerating, and even then he at least had some color in his cheeks.

She didn't realize that the Judoon were shining their scanner on the Doctor until the leader called out, "Confirmed: deceased."

"No!" Rose cried out. "No, he's not! Ask her, Mrs. Finnegan! She did something to him! He's not dead, he's not!"

"She drank his blood!" Martha suddenly piped up. "Scan her!"

Rose was vaguely aware of Martha grabbing a scanner off of a Judoon and aiming it at Mrs. Finnegan, but she only had eyes for the unconscious man in her lap, his beloved face blurring as she fought to hold back the tears. "You stupid, _stupid _man!" she scolded affectionately. "You gave your life so that this woman would be caught. You better not regenerate from this. Not now, not after all this…"

"Rose, move, I have to perform CPR," Martha nudged her away and began pumping the Doctor's chest and blowing air into his mouth. "It's okay, he's going to be fine."

Rose collapsed against the wall. She was dizzy. Was it getting warmer in here? Blimey, she was exhausted. Surely no one would begrudge her a small kip here on the floor.

The last thing she saw before succumbing to the darkness was the Doctor, pale and drawn, hoisting himself with great effort off the floor and crawling towards the crackling MRI machine.

* * *

><p>Later on that evening, the Doctor stood in the doorway of their bedroom, watching Rose with his usual great interest. She was curled up on the sofa, a blanket partially obscuring her lap, surfing absently through the eight hundred channels. It occurred to the Doctor that this was the first bit of down time they'd had since they arrived in Pete's World. Rose certainly looked comfy, hair combed out and still damp from the shower, face scrubbed clean of makeup, clad only in one of his striped pajama shirts and a pair of knickers.<p>

She finally noticed him standing in the doorway and smiled softly, scooting over in silent invitation for him to join her on the sofa. Not one to resist her (_Well…at least not lately)_, he took his space next to Rose, covering his lap with a bit of the blanket and pulling her tightly against his side.

"Hello," she murmured, pressing a kiss onto his chest. "I'm still mad at you, you know."

"I know," he replied. "But it all turned out okay in the end, right?"

"I suppose."

They sat there silently for a few minutes, the Doctor absently tracing his fingers up and down Rose's arm, trying to decide how to breach this incredibly difficult conversation. The direct route was probably best, but he'd never had to discuss anything like this before. He had no idea where to begin.

"Doctor?" Rose asked. "What's on your mind?"

He looked down at her, some of his amusement reflected in his tone. "And how do you know there's something on my mind, Rose Tyler?"

"You're too quiet," she answered him. "Come on, out with it. After the day we've had, I'm ready for anything."

The Doctor squeezed her tightly before taking a deep breath and launching into his partially-rehearsed speech. "Well, Rose…do you know how sometimes I can be a bit…well…_daft _when it comes to human things? Especially…you know…relationshippy…things?"

"Yes," Rose answered a bit too quickly for his liking.

"Well, as long as we're on the same page…" he sniffed before adjusting their positions so that they were facing one another. "Rose…do you remember how in the hospital, I told you that the kiss might cause you problems later?"

"Yeah, the Judoon said that I had non-human traces. I expect they were reacting to the fact that your DNA is basically all over me."

The Doctor chuckled nervously. "That it is. Anyway, though it was absolutely a lovely kiss with you and me…well, later, with Martha…I needed her to buy me some time. Judoon were coming up the stairs and if they scanned me, it would basically mean instant execution. I figured what I was about to do would be preferable, to you especially.."

"Doctor, I'm really tired," Rose interrupted, yawning. "Can you please come out with it."

"I kissed Martha," he blurted. "Well, when I say kiss…it was a kiss with you. With her it was a genetic transfer. Just to buy me a few extra seconds. Just to hold up the Judoon. I swear, it meant nothing, and I told her that beforehand…why are you smiling at me?"

"What, you expect me to be _mad?_"

"Well…yes, actually. Don't human females generally get mad when their…_significant others_ kiss other women?"

"You said it wasn't a kiss. It was a genetic transfer."

"It was!"

"Doctor, really, it's fine. I know you'd never cheat on me. If you did, I'd never let you shag me again and I know you're not that stupid." Rose grinned and took his hand. "If you say it meant nothing, then it meant nothing. I'm not mad, I promise."

The Doctor gaped at her, completely awestruck for the umpteenth time by this wonderful creature in front of him. He immediately pulled her close and kissed her, slowly and sweetly, practically worshipping her lips with his.

"Now _that,_" he breathed out when they finally broke apart. "_That _was a particularly lovely genetic transfer."

"Mmmm," Rose murmured, stroking her fingers gently over his face. "It was. You know, I might be coming around to this whole genetic transfer business. And I'm sure they can be mighty useful."

"Oh, yes they can, Rose Tyler."

"I think we ought to share some genetic transfers more often…in as many places as possible," she teased, grinning flirtatiously at him.

"Starting with the sofa?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Rose giggled and was about to answer until the Doctor silenced her with one heated, intense genetic transfer.


	13. Chapter 12

Rose wandered sleepily into the kitchen the following morning, bleary-eyed and still in her pajamas and slippers. The Doctor was in the shower. She had been invited, of course, but Rose knew that it would only result in them missing the car service and having to take the train into the city. The Doctor on a train was just inviting disaster to happen, as she had reminded him as she shoved him, pouting, into the ensuite.

Upon entering the kitchen, she wasn't surprised to see her mother sitting at the table, a mug of tea and plate of toast in front of her. She had some periodical open in front of her, but Rose was too intent on find her own mug of tea to pay it any notice. She glanced around and noticed their cook and housekeeper, Mrs. Shiner, busy at the center island.

"Morning, Mum," she greeted. "Morning, Mrs. Shiner."

"Miss Tyler," she replied formally. "Would you like some tea?"

Rose hesitated in answering her. She still wasn't entirely comfortable having a wait staff. They had returned a few days after Rose, Jackie, and the Doctor arrived, and she was just now learning how to make concessions. "I'll get it," Rose told her, smiling gently. "I'd love some toast, though, if you've got the time."

"Absolutely," Mrs. Shiner returned her smile and began bustling around the kitchen while Rose prepped her tea. Her mother was eerily quiet. By now, Jackie would have generally regaled her with colorful commentary about the stories in the paper or something that she'd seen on daytime television. She hadn't even greeted Rose with so much as a "Good morning." Her mother was so intently focused on the paper that Rose half expected to see a trashy romance novel hidden in the folds.

"What's going on in the world today, Mum?" Rose asked as she sat down at the table. "Anything about the hospital in there?"

Jackie finally glanced up at Rose and raised an eyebrow. "In a manner of speaking. Is there something you want to tell me?"

Rose blinked at her mother, mug of tea halfway to her lips. "It's too early for this, Mum. Why don't you just save me the trouble tell me what I should have told you?"

Jackie sighed and tossed the paper to Rose. On the front page, Rose could see a huge photo of Royal Hope hospital with the headline "MAROONED ON THE MOON!" splashed across it in huge, bold type.

"Catchy," Rose murmured. "But I know what happened. I was there. Why am I reading this? Did they get something horribly wrong? I thought Pete had a press conference?"

"A little further down, Rose." Jackie sounded exasperated.

Rose made a face at her before scanning quickly down the page. She nearly dropped the paper and her mug of tea when she noticed the small picture nestled into the corner and the corresponding highlighting headline. The photo grainy and low-quality, clearly taken with a camera phone, but it was unmistakably a photo of her and the Doctor from Royal Hope, sharing a happy smile while she rested in the hospital bed. The bold caption that went along with it read, "ROSE TYLER PREGNANT? DETAILS ON PAGE 6!"

Rose immediately turned to the page and saw another grainy photo, this time of them kissing, smiles still evident on their faces. Rose skimmed the short paragraph that followed the photo.

_"Newly-revealed Vitex heiress Rose Tyler reportedly checked into Royal Hope yesterday with stomach pains and dizziness. Could it be that she and long-time boyfriend Dr. John Smith are expecting? Sources indicated that the pair seemed thrilled with the possibility. _

_ "They barely stopped smiling the entire hospital stay," our source informed us. "You know, until we ended up on the moon. But there was definitely something going on!" _

_ Might we expect a happy announcement in the near future? The National Enquirer will keep you informed!"_

"So, are congratulations in order?" Jackie asked in a neutral tone, raising her eyebrow at Rose.

"Of course not," Rose replied, putting the paper down and sighing heavily. Damage control at Torchwood will be fun with this one. "It was part of the investigation. I was _faking _the symptoms to get checked in."

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" Jackie snapped. "No one ever tells me these things. You know, if you were worried you were pregnant, you should have come to me!"

Mrs. Shiner, sensing a private family moment, slid Rose's plate of toast in front of her and mumbled something about collecting the laundry. Rose gave her a weak smile and turned back to her mother the moment the older woman had left the kitchen.

"I'm _not _worried I'm pregnant!" she exclaimed. "God, do you ever listen to a word I say? Even if I wanted to be, we can't."

Jackie's eyes grew wide with alarm. "You can't get pregnant?"

"Not with the Doctor," she said, suddenly very interested in the toast and tea in front of her. "We're not compatible. Something about our DNA, his is a triple helix. It's too complex to combine with a human's."

"Oh, sweetheart," Jackie breathed, reaching over and taking her daughter's hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"'S fine, Mum. 'S not your fault." Rose swallowed against the lump in her throat. She hadn't thought about it much since the day before, too much had been happening to really dwell. But now, in a quiet moment with her mother, she realized how much she had unknowingly _wanted_ a family with him…someday. She felt her eyes well up with tears. "Blimey, can't believe I'm crying over this. I mean, the Doctor and I, we're still so new and everything. Shouldn't even be thinking about kids. That's just it, though…I never thought about it before, when we were traveling. Never thought we would get to this point. Then we did, and now to know that I _can't_…'s just a little sad."

"I know, darling." Jackie handed Rose a paper napkin, which she used to dab at her eyes. "You know, 's not too late to ditch the mad alien. Find yourself a nice, normal bloke to settle down with. Mickey would never turn you down."

Rose felt a flash of anger at her mother's callous words. She was just about to offer her own opinion on the subject when Mickey bounded into the kitchen. "Turn you down for what?" he interrupted, causing each Tyler woman to fall silent. He must have noticed the tension in the air, because he looked nervously between them. "Morning. How's everyone?"

"Fine," Jackie and Rose said simultaneously in the same clipped tone.

"Right," Mickey told them, clearly not believing it for a moment. "I'm going to look at a flat today. In case anyone's interested."

"What?" Rose asked, surprised. "You're moving out?"

"I've been saying it for days now, Rose," Mickey said. "This one looks perfect. Two bedrooms, big windows, really close to work and to my Gran's place. Jackie, you mind coming with me later on? I could use a mum's eye?"

"Sure, sweetheart," she replied. "Just tell me when, yeah?"

"Rose! Fancy seeing you here," the Doctor greeted as he entered the kitchen, stopping by the table to drop a kiss on her cheek. "Goodness, it's been _forever_, hasn't it?"

"You're ridiculous," Rose replied teasingly, her mood immediately lifting upon seeing him. "Do you want some tea?"

"Love some, thanks," he sat in the chair next to hers and began nibbling at her toast.

"Oi!" Jackie scolded. "Mrs. Shiner could make you your own, you know. Or better yet, why don't you get up and do it yourself?"

The Doctor stared at Jackie for a moment before putting on a winning smile. "Good morning to you too, Jackie! You're looking well. That dressing gown really matches your eyes."

"Oh, shut it."

"What? I was trying to pay you a compliment!"

"You're in a mood this morning, Mum," Rose interjected. "Everything okay?"

"Fine," Jackie replied, a bit too quickly for Rose's taste. She picked up her mug. "I'm going to make sure Pete has a pressed shirt for today. Don't forget to say goodbye before you go, you mad kids."

Rose returned to the table with the Doctor's mug and slid a plate of toast with strawberry jam and bananas in front of him. She snagged her own slice back out of his hands and took a bite. "What's her problem?"

"Maybe it's…you know…that time of the month," Mickey offered, shuddering at the thought.

"Typical bloke," Rose huffed. "Blaming everything on Aunt Irma." She shoved her last bite of toast in her mouth and drained her mug of tea. "I'm going to get ready. You boys behave yourselves while I'm gone, yeah?"

"Aw, Rose, you know us!" Mickey said, grinning through a mouthful of toast.

Rose rolled her eyes. "I don't think I even have to respond to that, _Michael,_" she scolded teasingly as she went to prepare for the day.

* * *

><p>Rose was sitting at the Doctor's desk down in R&amp;D later on that day, typing up a report on the hospital incident while the Doctor tinkered with the dimension hoppers across from her. She would occasionally ask for clarification on a scientific term or about the Judoon, but otherwise, they worked in comfortable silence. Rose had shed her heels the moment she'd sat down as the desk, and her feet would brush against the Doctor's trainers from time to time. He would always offer her a small smile and return the gentle caress before turning his attention back to the technology in his hands.<p>

The degree to which this reminded Rose of their easy days on the TARDIS was astounding. Even her mobile vibrating on the desk was welcome and familiar, preparing her for a nice long chat with her mother.

Picking up her mobile, she expected to see "Mum" flash across the screen. Instead, she made a pleased little exclamation when she saw a text from Martha, inviting them to have lunch sometime during the week.

"Hmm?" the Doctor inquired, peering at her over his specs. "What have you got there?"

"Martha's texted me," Rose answered, typing as she spoke. "We're going to lunch this week."

The Doctor looked confused. "When did you even exchange numbers?"

"While the paramedics were trying to treat you for blood loss. You were putting up quite a fuss, I'm not surprised you didn't notice." She grinned at him.

The Doctor sniffed. "I was completely fine by the time they got there."

Rose's smile grew wider. "'Course you were, darling. D'you want to join us? She invited you."

"Lunch with Martha Jones? Brilliant! Can't think of a better way to spend my lunch hour. _Well_…" he trailed off suggestively and offered her a winning smile.

"You're just a randy old man, aren't you?"

"Entirely your fault, Rose Marion Tyler."

Rose was about to offer another witty comeback when the Doctor's desk phone interrupted her. She picked up the receiver and said briskly, "Dr. Smith's desk."

"Rose!" Pete's voice greeted her. "Glad I caught you. Do you have a minute?"

"Sure, Dad, what's up?" she tucked the phone between her shoulder and ear and turned her attention back to the computer, saving her work and locking the station.

"Do you mind coming up to the office? I have some people who want to meet you."

"No, that's alright. Do you need the Doctor as well?"

"I think we'll be fine without him," Pete replied. "Shouldn't take long. I'll see you in a few?"

"Yep, a few," Rose replaced the phone in its cradle and slid her feet back into the heels. She turned to the Doctor, who was staring at her quizzically. "Pete wants to see me in his office. Probably some of his colleagues want to meet the long-lost daughter."

"Well, I don't blame them," the Doctor replied. "I happen to find you completely fascinating. Do you want me to come with you?"

"Nah, 's just some suits. Keep up with your tinkering. I'll be back in a bit." She leaned down and brushed a light, lingering kiss across his lips. "Don't miss me too much."

"Too late for that," he grinned flirtatiously at her as she walked out of the room.

* * *

><p>"Rose!" Pete greeted her warmly, rising from his chair and kissing her cheek. "Thanks for coming up so quickly."<p>

"No problem, Dad," she replied. "What's up?"

"Well, these gentlemen asked if they could speak with you," he gently steered her towards his desk, where Rose could see two dark-haired men in suits standing with courteous, polite smiles on their faces. Rose shook their hands as Pete introduced them as Daniel Gibbons and Alex Moya.

"Nice to meet you," Rose replied, taking the third seat as Pete took his own on the other side of the desk.

"Mr. Gibbons and Mr. Moya are the heads of our field division," Pete explained. "They asked for this meeting today."

"Oh, yeah?" Rose asked, turning towards the two men. "Why's that?"

"We heard from Mr. Smith's team how well you handled yourself during the moon incident," Mr. Gibbons told her. "According to witnesses, you kept calm and organized. They felt a true sense of safety knowing that you, and Torchwood for that matter, had the situation under control."

"Well," Rose blushed. "It wasn't all like that. The Doctor was the one who really solved it. I just…helped. So did Martha Jones, a medical student. You know, you oughta look her up. She'd be fantastic here."

"Noted," Pete smiled softly at her, the fatherly pride in his eyes evident as he watched Rose interact with the department heads. Rose couldn't help from smiling back at him.

"You're level-headed," Mr. Moya continued. "You're quick-thinking, you've got good instincts, and you've got the concerns of others at heart. I've spoken with Mr. Smith and Mr. Simmonds, and they both agree that you would be an excellent addition to the field teams. We've come to tell you of an opportunity, a case in New York. We've got a family who needs a ride home. We hoped that you and the Doctor could go with Smith's team, help track them down, and get their transport working again. You wouldn't be going as the Doctor's assistant, but a Field-Agent-In-Training. We can provide a temporary assistant if he requires. You'd be leaving first thing tomorrow. Are you interested?"

Rose gaped at the gentlemen, her eyes darting between them and Pete. "You can't be serious! Me, a field agent? I…_really _don't think I'm cut out for this."

"I think you are, Rose," Pete told her. "I think you'd be brilliant. And I've got good instincts about people, remember? Didn't I say this, weeks back? Before I even brought you to Torchwood for the first time?"

"Well, yeah…"

"And Mr. Tyler tells us you have experience in the field. You and the Doctor? Pete tells us you were…freelancers even before starting here?" Mr. Moya asked.

"I suppose, yeah. Why don't you ask the Doctor to be a field agent? He'd be better at this than me."

"We think it's best to keep the Doctor on as a consultant. Give him the freedom and flexibility to pursue his own interests," Mr. Gibbons said, giving her a small smile. "He doesn't seem the type to take orders well, either."

"You've got that right," Rose grinned slightly at the thought of the Doctor being a member of Mickey's field team. _Disaster._

"We really would like you to consider it." Moya continued. "And if you go on the training mission and decide it's not for you, then no hard feelings. Go back to being the Doctor's assistant. Or you can take a place in R&D, they've been asking after you as well. We just ask that you think about it. Let us know some time tonight if we can expect you on the company zeppelin."

"Course…nice to meet you both." Rose stood with the two men and they all exchanged polite farewells. Once they were out of the office, Rose turned to Pete, somewhat accusingly. "Was this all you?"

He held up his hands. "Had nothing to do with it. They approached me, seemed to think I was the best way to get to you." He smiled at her. "You've earned this, Rose. I know you'll be brilliant at it." He looked at her searchingly. "Why are you so against this?"

"I'm not!" Rose protested, sitting back down. Pete followed, still with the inquisitive expression on his face. "I'm really not. It…sounds amazing actually. But…I just…I don't know how well the Doctor would take it."

Pete smiled softly at her. "I'm sure he wants what's best for you, Rose. Go talk to him." He patted her hand. "Now, I've got a metric ton of paperwork to catch up on, so as much as I love spending time with you, I'm going to send you back to your Doctor now. Try to make it home before six. Your mum's got a roast on."

"Got it," Rose told him. She stood up and offered Pete a small smile. "Thanks, Dad."

"Anytime, sweetheart. See you tonight."

"Yeah, tonight," Rose replied absently, leaving the office, still reeling over the offer. She walked in a daze towards the lift, going over and over what Gibbons and Moya had told her. They wanted _her_, an ordinary old shop girl from the Powell Estate, to be out in the field. They wanted her to go on missions and interact with aliens and help defend the Earth. Granted, it was pretty much what she had done with the Doctor but now, it would be her _job_. Some people waited tables, some people ran companies, she would be working to save the lives of everyone on the planet every single _day_, human and alien both.

She could help make a _difference_. Rose Tyler, a girl with no A-levels whose job experience extended to Henrick's and the local chippy, could actually do something important with her life.

Something that could make her worthy of the amazing, brilliant alien she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

She sighed. Ultimately, it always came down to him. Despite his rather obvious devotion, there was always that niggling doubt in the back of her mind that questioned why this gorgeous, selfless, hopeless, 900-year-old Time Lord needed her so badly. That same part reminded her that he didn't even shag her until he needed the connection, that it could have been anyone walking by and he would have been fine. Logically, she knew she was being silly. Logically, she _knew_ that he _really did _only kiss gorgeous, brilliant medical student Martha Jones in order to buy him a few seconds ahead of the Judoon. But it was that same small, completely illogical part of her that kept her from feeling that she completely deserved him. Now, maybe this could help quiet that doubt. If she spent her time doing what they had done on the TARDIS, even at a smaller scale and limited to the Earth, she could feel like she was deserving of his _respect_, as well as his affections.

So lost in her thoughts, she had no idea she'd even made it back to the Doctor's lab. Swiping her ID badge, she entered the well-equipped room and grinned at the sight that greeted her. The Doctor was sitting at his desk, one hand in his hair, looking rather distressed at the word processor document open in front of him.

"You trying to finish my report?" Rose teased, making her way over to the desk.

He looked up at her and grinned. "Thought I'd try to be helpful. Not really my style and now I know why. I'll leave this boring work to you. How's Pete?"

"Good," she replied, taking a deep breath. Her heart was suddenly racing as she struggled to find the words to tell him of this most recent development.

The Doctor must have noticed her distress. He reached over and covered her hand with his. At this simple contact, Rose calmed considerably. She looked up and noticed his eyes searching her face, almost as if he were trying to read her thoughts. Rose sighed once again. _Impatient,_ she thought with a small grin.

"Pete introduced me to two men," she began.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and sniffed indignanly before she could continue. "What, he's trying to marry you off already?"

She chuckled. "No nothing like that. They're the heads of the field teams." She looked him directly in eyes before she continued. "They offered me…_well, _us, actually…a place on a field mission. Something in New York, an alien family who needs helps getting home."

"Oh, _brilliant!" _the Doctor beamed. "New York! The Big Apple! You've seen New New York, now you get to see the original! Maybe we could wrap it up quickly and take in the sights! The Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, even the World Trade Center! Can you believe it's still standing in this universe? Well, I imagine it would be, being that most people take zeppelins across the ocean." He shuddered. "Airplanes are bad enough. Don't even want to think about a zeppelin. You know, we ought to get you one of those tablets, might make it easier to take notes, remember names and such. Think we'll have time before we head out?"

She couldn't put it off much longer. Rose took a deep breath and let it out before telling him, "Doctor…I wouldn't be going as your assistant. They'd provide you with one, of course, but…it would be a sort of…training mission for me. They want to put me on one of the field teams."

"Well, of course they do, you're brilliant," he smiled at her. "Everyone wants a piece of you. I had Natalie from PR asking me to set up a meeting with you. Of course I told her no, that you were perfectly happy being my assistant." Something seemed to register in him at that moment, and he glanced up at her slowly. "Hold on…you are happy, right? You're not actually going to do this, are you?"

Rose just stared at him for a moment, trying to gauge his reaction. She had become so well-versed in his moods and temperament that it was almost jarring to have no idea what was going through his head. "I…think I want to try, Doctor."

* * *

><p>The Doctor stared at Rose, hearts pounding in his chest. She was standing in front of him, the very center of his being, the person who was as necessary to him as oxygen, as water, telling him that she wanted to go off to New York and hunt aliens. He knew it wasn't logical, but one thought seemed to be blaring white-hot through his mind at that moment.<p>

_Oh, God…she's leaving me._

This was his greatest insecurity brought into being. Rose wasn't happy, wasn't content being with him. She wanted to move on to bigger and better things…_without him_. Of course, now it was just work. But once she got out there and saw the rest of the world, saw what it could offer her, would he be enough for her? Without the TARDIS, he was just some mad old alien who couldn't even give her a real _life_. Would she come to her senses and realize how much better things would be for her without him?

He knew that he'd never be able to let her go. Maybe he could once, but not now. Not only had see ingrained herself into every aspect of his life that it was literally _painful _to imagine living without her, he was completely dependent on her. He had been, even before he'd been cut off from the TARDIS. He had no idea how to play human, how to live a life, day after day. Rose was his touchstone, his guide, the one who was always taking care of him. He didn't know if he could do this without her.

And now, she was telling him she didn't want to be with him anymore. It was like she had knocked the wind out of him.

Rose continued as if she had no idea what she was doing to him. "I mean, it would be great, yeah? Getting paid to save the world? Defenders of the Earth and all that?"

"But…" he practically choked out. "You can do that here, with me! We can go to any department you want! I need you, though! You know I have no mind for all this…_typing _and _filing_ rubbish."

Rose stared at him, her expression practically unreadable. "So…what, you think that's all I'm capable of? Taking care of your typing and filing _rubbish_?"

"What? No, of course not. You're perfectly capable! Where would I be without you? You're brilliant at so many things, all these…_domestics_! I would be walking around in the same pair of pants I came here in if it wasn't for you!"

Oh, the minute the words came out of his mouth he knew he'd said the wrong thing.

Rose flushed with anger. "That's all I'm good for, is it? All your _domestics?_ Your little secretary, doing your shopping and your busy work and bring your tea and lunch and always good for midday shags in the copy room?"

Now it was the Doctor's turn to get angry. Is that all she thought she was to him? She _had _to know how he felt about her. Even if he couldn't say it out loud, he tried to show her every day, in every kiss and touch and word how much she meant to him. For her to dismiss it so easily…

Before he could come back at her, she continued on her tirade. "I managed for nearly twenty years without you, Doctor. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"Oh, is that right?" the Doctor shot back, his anger getting the better of him. "So when your face got sucked off or you got trapped by clockwork droids it couldn't have just been that you're jeopardy-friendly? I'll bet you had a brilliant plan in the works and I just happened to come along and ruin it for you?"

Rose gaped at him. "You know what, Doctor? That's fine. This silly old jeopardy-friendly human is just going to wander off now. That way you'll have one less thing to worry about while you're off single-handedly saving the Earth and kissing medical students!"

With that, Rose turned on her heel and stormed out, leaving him seething behind her. With no one around to launch into, the Doctor picked up the dimension hopper that was sitting innocuously on his desk and launched it against the wall, causing small, delicate pieces to skitter all across the room.

He plopped down in his chair in front of the monitor in complete misery. As he started at the blinking cursor in front of him, his anger began to recede into a gut-wrenching _fear_. She wouldn't leave him over this, would she? Not after all they'd been through. She loved him, she'd told him every single day since Norway. Surely one fight wouldn't change that…would it?

_Let's hope I haven't cocked this up too much, _he thought, turning back to the computer and attempting to distract himself from the unpleasant churning in his stomach.

* * *

><p>Rose spent the entire day and night in complete misery. The Doctor didn't return to the mansion at all, instead telling Pete that he was planning to work on some things in his lab. Rose felt her heart clench painfully at his words. He very well could have brought his work home, and frequently had. She knew it was because he just didn't want to deal with <em>her <em>and her rubbish human _domestics._.

It was the first night she'd spent without him since their arrival in Pete's world, and she slept horribly without his cool, welcome body pressed up against hers. She tossed and turned, missing the gentle sounds of his tinkering as she slept, or the soft flutter of his breath against her ear. She had resolved to find him upon her arrival at Torchwood and make things right, but there had been no time. Mickey and Jake had hurried her to the company zeppelin and they'd taken off within a half an hour.

Unable to sleep on the flight, she spent the nearly ten hour ride going over the case file, listening to music on the satellite radio station, watching some demented comedy about children being left alone to fend off home invaders, and trying to read her silly werewolf book. Unfortunately, all she could do was obsess over their fight, about how the Doctor had managed to unknowingly zero in on all of her fears about their relationship. Still, instead of sitting down and talking with him about it like a normal couple, she'd lashed out at him and stormed away without a second thought.

She was such a child. And the Doctor surely knew that now and absolutely would question just what he was doing with her. After all, anyone could buy him underwear, make his tea, and type his reports. Certainly half the women (and probably some of the men, too) would be more than willing to shag him and help keep the mental loneliness at bay. What did he need her for?

By the end of the flight, Rose was in a complete funk. They arrived at JFK around four o'clock local time, and Rose was certain she looked exactly as awful as she felt. The plan was to collect their belongings from baggage claim and meet up with the local representatives to plan out the mission. Then it was back to company housing to sleep and they would start looking for the aliens and fixing their transport first thing in the morning.

Rose yawned deeply as she followed Mickey to the baggage area. She'd have to call the Doctor as soon as they got to the house, try to patch things up. She knew being apart would be rough on both of them, but perhaps talking would help ease the tension and help maintain their connection. Maybe, with things settled between them, she'd be able to get a full night's rest that night.

Rose was moving on autopilot, barely aware of her surroundings. Which is why it took her so long to notice the tall, slender bloke unfolding himself from one of the hard, plastic chairs around the conveyor belt. She had to shake her head hard as she approached him, convinced that he was some exhaustion-fueled, pinstriped hallucination and couldn't possibly be standing in front of her, his face strained and tense but his smile completely genuine.

"Rose," he whispered, holding out his arms. It was all the invitation she needed.

She dropped her carry-on bag and hurled herself into his arms, immediately wrapping her own tightly around his neck and clutching him as if her life depended on it.

"Doctor," she whispered back, pressing a small kiss against his neck. He came alive immediately, lifting her off the ground and spinning her in a circle, chuckling as she squealed.

They needed to talk, Rose knew that. But for the moment, she felt the enormous weight on her chest lift and for the first time in over twenty-four hours, she finally felt like she could breathe again.

He put her down and she immediately cupped his face. So many thoughts were barreling through her head, but the only thing she managed to croak out was, "_How?_"

"Well, Rose, there is this _fantastic _invention called an airplane," he explained, grinning. "And while it is far more expensive and far less common than a zeppelin, I managed to convince Torchwood to send me on ahead. Only took seven and a half hours, can you believe it?"

Rose laughed, her eyes misty. "You're pulling my leg, you are."

The Doctor's face turned serious very quickly, and before Rose knew it, she was back in his arms, pressed tight against his chest. She clutched him back immediately and nearly wept as he began babbling against her hair.

"I'm sorry, Rose, I'm so, _so _sorry," he breathed. "I shouldn't have said all that, I never meant to imply…"

"I know," Rose interrupted. "I'm sorry, too. I just…never feel like I'm good enough for you. And that you'll realize it one of these days and go find someone…more _worthy _of you." She was surprised to hear herself choke out the last few words around a huge lump in her throat.

"Ohhh, Rose Tyler," he murmured. "_I'm _the one who's unworthy of _you_. I'm terrified every day that you'll find something…some_one _who can give you more and come to your senses and leave this daft old alien behind."

Rose pulled away from him then and looked him determinedly in the eyes. "When are you going to get this through your _thick skull_?" She rapped her knuckles against his head, and he chuckled. "I _love _you, you daft idiot! And I am _never_, _ever _going to leave you!"

The Doctor practically growled as he pulled her back against him and pressed his lips insistently to hers. Rose moaned in response, and the Doctor took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his hands pressing against her lower back and he tried to find as much contact as possible between them. Rose could already feel her heart rate picking up, her body humming with lust and love for the daft, gorgeous, amazing alien in front of her.

Reluctantly, and with great difficulty, the Doctor broke the kiss and pressed his fore head against hers. His breath was coming in quick pants, and Rose could feel the evidence of his desire pressed against her.

"Please, Rose," he whispered, cradling her face in his hands. "God, _please _tell me this bloody housing is within ten minutes of here?"


	14. Chapter 13

The supposed "quick" introductory meeting with the members of the New York office was _torture_ in Rose's opinion_. _They had met for dinner at a recommended pizzeria, and Rose was hard pressed to keep her hands off the Doctor long enough to eat. Their fingers remained entwined under the table all evening, they stole as many kisses and caresses as possible, and Rose had no desire to raise her head from his shoulder. He had explained about touch, and how necessary it was for him, and Rose wondered if a bit of that need was rubbing off on her.

It was only after their physical and mental needs had been met that they began to work out their emotional ones. Lying entwined in one another's arms, the Doctor finally elaborated on the bond they shared while they made love, how badly he needed that connection with her. He shared his fear of her leaving him, of realizing all the things he couldn't give her and finding someone better for her. In response, Rose confessed her own insecurities, how she felt he could find anyone to fill his needs and how she questioned what made her worthy of him. She even admitted to the insanity she felt over his "kiss" with Martha, telling him it was fine and secretly, for a brief time, wanting to claw the young girl's eyes out.

He had clutched her tightly to him at this, brushing kisses over her face. "Rose Tyler…you have no idea how badly I need you. _You_. No one else. You are everything holding me together at this point. The connection we share…it wouldn't work with just anyone. There has to be…_feeling _and _emotion _and…" He pulled back from her so they could see one another properly and pursed his lips. "I could very easily say, 'I love you,' and I suppose, _technically_, it would be accurate. Because I do, so much that I don't even know how to _exist _without you. That means it's not enough, those words. They work well enough, for a human relationship. Not that there's anything _wrong _with human relationships…oh, I'm rubbish at this."

"'S okay, Doctor," Rose soothed, cupping his cheek comfortingly. "Just…keep going."

He nodded and drew in a breath before continuing. "What I feel for you, Rose…there's no English equivalent. The only thing that comes close is in my language. The words, they encompass your devotion to this person in every timeline; in every universe; in every version of the past, present, and future; through every regeneration. For the remainder of your lives and beyond, you belong to one another." He took another breath. "Words have power, Rose and these words… these words tie one person to another for the rest of their existence. Most humans, if you'll forgive me, can't fathom the depth of the bond created in a Gallifreyan marriage."

Rose gulped. "They're…marriage vows?"

"Sort of…they're more like…how you initiate the bond. It cues areas of your brain to connect to the other…it's complicated. You know, Susan married a human."

"Your granddaughter?"

He nodded. "David Campbell. Oh, he was brilliant. When she was called back to Gallifrey…" He swallowed, and Rose reached around to stroke his back comfortingly. "I had to go tell him, after the war, what had happened. That was the last time I saw him."

"We should go visit," Rose told him softly. "Once we're back home, in the TARDIS. He's your grandson-in-law, I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

"Hmmm," he replied, but didn't elaborate.

Rose continued on. "What was their wedding like?"

"Oh, I dunno," he blew out a breath. "They could have had an Earth wedding. Not too different in the 22nd Century, the music hasn't even improved. The Chicken Dance survives for _millennia, _Rose! How is _that _fair?"

"Hold on," Rose pushed herself up on her elbow. "You didn't go to the wedding?"

The Doctor hesitated for a bit before answering. He wrapped an arm around Rose's back and pulled her towards him, as if drawing strength from her closeness. "Susan and I…well…we didn't part on good terms."

"Oh." Rose decided not to press further. He'd shared a great deal with her that night, she didn't want to push him too far. Instead, she opted to snuggle deeper into his embrace. "What were ceremonies on Gallifrey like?"

The Doctor hesitated once again, and Rose could feel his hearts speed up against her cheek. "They were…well, they were a lot like the marriages, I suppose. Stuffy, political charades with a severe lack of nibbles and baked goods. Boring. Those were the Time Lords though. Gallifreyians…now they knew how to party."

"They were different? Time Lords and Gallifreyians?"

"Gallifreyians were the citizens of Gallifrey. Time Lords lived in the Capitol city, in the Citadel. There was extensive training involved in being a Time Lord."

"So…all Time Lords were Gallifreyians, but not all Gallifreyians were Time Lords?"

"Precisely." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and felt his smile. "Time Lord marriages were typically arranged, based on compatibility, politics, and the potential for productivity. Gallifreyians…well, they married for love. Weddings were a true reason to celebrate. Two people, entwining their lives, making vows not unlike your Earth ones. Love, cherish, obey, for as long as you both shall live. Then there's the…" Rose felt his hearts speed up again, and heard him swallow thickly above her. When he spoke, his voice was almost shaking. "…the telepathic aspect as well…what I told you about before."

Rose's ears perked up at this, something connecting in her mind that hadn't before. "So…when we…does that mean we're married?"

The Doctor chuckled. "No, no, definitely not. That connection is…temporary. Brilliant and fantastic, but temporary. It fades, with our lack of contact. This bond…the _marriage _bond…it's permanent. They're always a presence, always with one another no matter the distance. Death is the only thing that can break it."

"Mmmm," Rose replied, curling deeper into their embrace. "Sounds sort of nice, actually. You know, with the right person."

She felt him smile against the top of her head. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He was silent after this, simply caressing his cool fingers up and down Rose's back. It was incredibly soothing, and Rose was just dozing off when he spoke up again.

"David wasn't telepathic."

"What?" she mumbled sleepily.

"David. Susan's husband. He wasn't telepathic. Brilliant, not quite as brilliant as you, mind, but he couldn't have sustained the bond. Some can…not him."

"Oh," Rose muttered, wondering where he was going with this. "That's a shame. Sounds like something Susan would have wanted to share with him."

"Yeah," the Doctor agreed, going quiet once again and continuing to stroke gently against Rose's skin. "You know...if you're curious, we could test you for telepathy when we get back to London. If you want, just for future reference…"

Rose couldn't stop the grin that spread across her face. She turned so that she could see the Doctor's face properly, his gaze intense. "I think I'd like that."

His answering smile rivaled her own. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He pulled her to him, kissing her breathless and pressing her back into the mattress.

* * *

><p>The Doctor and Rose were the last to breakfast the following morning and were greeted by six knowing smirks. Rose blushed, stammered out a "Good morning" and immediately began poking through the unfamiliar kitchen to find the tea things. Torchwood had housed them in a gorgeous place in Brooklyn, apparently the only area of the city with affordable, somewhat spacious housing. They all doubled up in the bedrooms, and no one had objected when the Doctor and Rose had snagged only one with a full-sized bed for themselves. It was tastefully decorated and very clean, with a small yard and back patio. Perfect for a long-term assignment, if this turned out to be one.<p>

Which, if the conversations continued like the one around her, Rose sincerely hoped would _not _be the case.

"Did you guys notice last night how thin the walls are in this place?" Mickey announced pointedly to the group. "Thought there must have been ghosts or something, Never heard noises like that before."

"Well, no, Mickey Smith, I suppose you haven't," the Doctor commented casually, opening up the New York Times while the rest of the team made various disparaging noises to Mickey. "So what's on our agenda today, Fearless Leaders?"

Mickey, always able to take the Doctor's comments in stride, immediately launched into the day's plans. They were meeting the New York office representatives in the theater district, which was where most of the unique energy signatures were picked up. All they had to go on were a few disjointed distress calls that they were able to loosely translate, and those did not include a location. The Doctor had managed to cobble together a few tracers that were keyed into the energy signatures, and they would be able to follow the trails and hopefully find where the aliens had set up camp.

* * *

><p>After hasty breakfasts, the team gathered their equipment and took the subway into Manhattan, crammed in like sardines with the morning commuters. London was crowded, but New York seemed to be in a different class all together. Rose was pressed tightly against the Doctor, her arms around his waist and her cheek pressing against the soft material of his coat while he gripped a leather handle above to keep them steady. It would have been nice, romantic even, especially when he brought his free arm around and pulled her tighter to him, except that Mickey was pressed almost as intimately right up against the Doctor's back, the pair of them keeping up a steady stream of snark the entire way.<p>

"Doctor, is that a sonic screwdriver in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

"Ohhh, Mickey, I would smack you for that one but currently my hands are very busy with my incredibly hot girlfriend."

"She was my hot girlfriend first."

"Oi!" Rose interjected. "You two knock off objectifying me before I smack the both of you."

The Doctor turned and smirked at Mickey. "She didn't use those big words with you, did she?"

Mickey smirked back. "Nah, generally it was just 'YES,' and 'OH GOD.'"

Rose, not to be left out, also smirked. "When you didn't fall asleep first…"

"HAH!" The Doctor barked out, beaming and hugging Rose tighter to him. "To borrow an Earth expression…Mr. Smith, I believe you just got pwned!"

"I ought to 'pwn' you right here!"

"Would you boys shut it?" Carrie scolded from the vicinity of Mickey's right shoulder. "I will sic Liza on you, don't think that I won't."

"She will!" the tiny blonde piped up. "She's done it before!"

"Hang on!" Mickey protested. "Why are we the ones in trouble? Rose was in on this too!"

"We girls have an understanding," Carried replied, contorting impressively to nudge Rose affectionately. "I've got your back, sweetie."

"Thanks, love," she replied, smiling. "Pedicures tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it!"

Jake, Bill, and Ken groaned from the seats they'd managed to snag by being the first on the train. "Warning you, Doctor," Jake told him. "They always manage to drag us in on these 'girl's nights'. Don't be fooled."

"Last time…" Ken began conspiratorially. "I got a _facial._ It was _horrible!_"

The Doctor gaped at Rose, eyes wide with alarm. "This is you, plotting against us? Rose Tyler…I don't even know what to say!"

Rose grinned teasingly and leaned in close to whisper in the Doctor's ear. "Play your cards right and you'll get a nice reward after…"

His gaze was dark as she pulled away, and she couldn't help but press her lips gently against his. She smiled into the kiss when he refused to let her break it.

"Get a room!"

Rose pulled away and looked around at the team's innocent faces, and noticed a disgusted-looking middle aged-man shaking his head and going back to his newspaper. Rose grinned and snuggled closer to the Doctor, enjoying their quiet closeness for the remainder of the trip.

* * *

><p>Rose held tight to the Doctor's hand as he maneuvered them through the throng of people also trying to make their way through the city. She let him guide her as she took in the sights around her, the huge glass skyscrapers towering over them and the zeppelins circling overhead. London was a lovely city, classic and majestic, even here in this universe. She'd never been to New York back home, but she imagined this version wasn't entirely different. It was modern, sleek, and bustling, and she imagined it fully earned the title "The City that Never Sleeps."<p>

The Doctor glanced back at her and must have noticed how enthralled she was with the sites. He grinned and pulled her to his side. "Before we leave, I'm taking you to the top of the Empire State Building. We're going to Ellis Island and seeing the Statue of Liberty. _And, _Rose Tyler, we will play the comically oversized piano in FAO Schwartz and buy a ridiculously overpriced hair ornament from Barney's, just so we get to carry around the bag. The _works_."

Rose tucked herself into him, managing to get her arms around his waist even as they kept stride with the flow of pedestrian traffic. "That sounds amazing, Doctor. I can't wait."

He dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head. "I think you'll find you'll like it even better than New New York. Fewer cats. Well...fewer talking cats. Well...fewer talking cats in wimples. After all, the musical _CATS _is still running here…_although_, I supposed that isn't exactly talking cats, more like humans dressed as talking cats…"

"Can we go see it? While we're here?" Rose interrupted.

He met her gaze and grinned. "We can do anything you want, love."

"'S not so bad, is it? You and me, traveling and saving aliens and defending the Earth?"

"Hmmm," the Doctor mused, gazing around at the crowd, the huge glass-and-steel structure, the zeppelins floating even higher than the buildings. Finally, he settled on Rose, his soft, tender expression nearly making her knees buckle. "Not bad at all, Rose Tyler. Not bad at all."

* * *

><p>They managed to reach the diner and noticed the American Torchwood representatives, Agents George and James, right away, dressed as they had been the night before in matching dark suits and dark sunglasses. After greeting one another warmly, the group of ten squeezed into a round booth to strategize. George was highly efficient and organized, passing around detailed copies of the case files and explaining what their procedures had been for the last week, while James seemed far more laid-back and content to let his partner take the reins.<p>

"The only progress we've managed to make has been isolating their energy signature based on the unauthorized landings in the area," George told them, taking a sip of his coffee and grimacing.

"World's best cup of coffee, my ass," James interjected, grinning at his partner.

George offered him a side-long glance before continuing. "Anyway, there are so many traces all around the city we need the extra manpower. Word got around you have the premier linguistics specialist and technological whiz in the Institute, so we asked for your team specifically, Mr. Smith."

James snorted. "Get a load of this guy, tryin' to sound all fancy. These guys are cool. Take the pole out your butt and _relax, _ Gee." He turned and fixed the rest of the table with a winning smile. "I'm gonna have to excuse my partner here. Ex-military, sleeps with his eyes open, you know the type."

Rose laughed. "Try having a bloke that barely sleeps at all. 'S so weird, thinking all he's doing all night long is watching you drool. Creepy!"

"Oi!" the Doctor protested good-naturedly. "I am _not _creepy. And you're lovely when you drool."

James, on the other hand, started guffawing. "You and him? That even _allowed _at HQ?"

"Are you dense, James? How did you not notice them hanging all over each other at dinner?" George asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Don't be a hater, Gee," he replied, smoothing his hands through his dark, close-cropped hair and decidedly not answering the question.

"She was his assistant before," Jake offered.

"Do you mind?" Rose glared at him. "I am sitting right here."

Jake ignored her. "She's the boss's daughter, too. So long as there's no ugly break-up…"

"There won't be," the Doctor cut in vehemently, wrapping his arm around Rose's shoulders and pulling her tightly into his side. They exchanged small smiles.

"Aw, see, that's nice. That's love, right there," James observed, resting his chin in his palm. "Still, shorty, I gotta be the one to tell you…you're _way _out of his league."

"Oi!"

"Don't we all know it," Mickey interjected, smirking at the Doctor.

"Are we quite finished discussing my love life?" Rose huffed.

"_Our _love life," the Doctor corrected her with a grin.

"Apologies, Miss Tyler, Dr. Smith," George finally spoke up. "My partner can be…_irreverent _from time to time…"

"You better watch yourself or I'll get irreverent on your shiny white ass, Gee."

Carrie and Liza were watching the interplay with identical cheery grins, while Ken and Bill started snorting into their coffee mugs. George had cracked a small smile at his partner, belying his serious façade and showing the genuine affection they had for one another.

"Slave driver," James muttered. "All right, so we've got two of these tracker thingies Dr. Smith drew up-"

"Just the Doctor," he piped up.

James stared at him for a moment. "Right, Doctor. So, we've got two of these. The traces have been heaviest and most ziggy-zaggy in the theater district. Now I know we ain't going in there to get our Broadway on, but our ID's should get us in anywhere."

"Three teams then?" Mickey offered. "I'm supposed to be observing Rose, so let's say me, Rose, and the Doctor with one tracker; James, Liza, Jake and Bill with the other; and Ken, Carrie and George back at central so you can work the monitors?"

"Aye, cap'pn," Bill offered a small salute. They settled the small check quickly, gathered the various bits of equipment, and congregated outside of the diner. The various team leaders agreed on a check-in-schedule, conference calling every hour, before breaking away in their various directions.

It wasn't until her teammates were out of sight that Rose's nerves began to break through. Here she was, on a "training mission," not even comparable to what she and the Doctor had faced on a regular basis, but it was wreaking havoc on long-dormant performance anxiety she hadn't felt since secondary school. She gripped the Doctor's hand and he turned to her instantly, as if sensing her mood, his free hand immediately moving to smooth the frown lines on her face as he gave her a warm, reassuring smile.

"You're brilliant, Rose. Honestly, this will be nothing for you. Remember, the Dalek Emperor? Cybermen? Satan?"

"Satan? Really?" Mickey interjected.

"Sort of," Rose replied distractedly before gripping the Doctor's hand in both of hers. "Just…don't let me fall flat on my face or anything?"

The Doctor pulled her to him for a quick kiss, moving his hand from her cheek to support the small of her back. He broke away before Rose could even react, and whispered so softly against her lips that Rose had to strain to hear above the roar of the city.

"Rose Tyler…I promise I will _never _let you fall."

Rose closed her eyes, her heart suddenly full-to-bursting with emotion. All she wanted at that moment was to bury her face in his chest, have him tuck his long coat around her and never let go. The compulsion was so strong, that she was sorely tempted to tell Mickey that stranded aliens could wait a few moments when something knocked into them hard. Rose tumbled, the Doctor's fast reflexes the only thing keeping her from hurtling into the side walk.

"Sorry," a gravely voice mumbled. Rose turned just in time to see the stranger decked in a long tan trench coat and large brown hat. She caught a glimpse of a somewhat familiar, furry face before he hustled through the crowd with almost inhuman speed.

"Careful," the Doctor murmured, rubbing his hands up and down her arms after setting her on her feet. "You alright?"

"Did you see that?"

"What? Whoever bumped into you? Rude, I'd say."

"Doctor, it was a cat person! Like from New Earth! I'd swear it!"

Before he could respond, the tracker in his pocket began beeping loudly. He took it out, expression thoughtful, and noted the lights all over the small device blinking like mad. He met Rose's eyes, grins spreading across both of their faces.

"And here I thought there wouldn't be any cat people," the Doctor murmured.

"Cat people? _Excellent_," Mickey said, taking out his mobile to conference the other teams. "Which way did it go?"

Rose gestured down the street. "There, but he was moving fast."

"Well then we ought to catch up, eh?" The Doctor reached for Rose's hand with his free one and, with a quick nod to Mickey, the three of them were off like a shot.


	15. Chapter 14

**Hello all! Just a quick A/N: I did a little editing on the previous two chapters, there was just a tiny continuity thing that was bothering me. If anyone is interested in reading the explanation, you can go to my livejournal here:**

** onabearskinrug dot livejournal dot com slash 44289 dot html (darn hyperlinks...grrr)  
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**It was not essential to the plot of the story, but I'm a little bit neurotic. Anyway, I hope it all makes sense! Many thanks for the wonderful reviews, and I've COMPLETELY lost track of responses...I will get back on it with this chapter! Enjoy!  
><strong>

They followed the beeping of the machine, pushing through the morning commuters and earning more than a few dirty looks in the process. Eventually, the trail led them to a majestic-looking theater. The Doctor spun in a circle with the device, the beeping slowing considerably as he loudly bemoaned their dead end. His screwdriver was out immediately, and he began tinkering and muttering inarticulate scientific babble. Mickey was on his mobile in an instant, giving Jake and James a progress report.

Unable to think of anything else to do, Rose decided to take in their surroundings. The theater was large and ornate, obviously old and well-known. Billboards were loudly advertising their spring features. Some Rose didn't recognize, whether they were products of the alternate universe or just because she wasn't exactly a Broadway buff. Still, the largest and most eye-catching billboard of all of them was displaying a familiar ad that made Rose grin and chuckle internally at the irony.

"Doctor…" she began.

"Maybe we could increase the sensitivity by tweaking the bioregulating scanners…" he muttered, completely lost in his own world and obviously not hearing a word she was saying.

"Doctor!" she repeated, moving to stand next to him and placing a gentle hand on his arm.

"Could even be the energy trace was corrupted…"

Rose huffed and, after glancing around to make sure Mickey wasn't paying attention, reached behind him to give him a sharp pinch on his bum.

The Doctor squeaked in response, a noise Rose had never heard from him and found incredibly amusing. He looked at her, eyes wide and shocked, but still twinkling with amusement. "Rose Tyler, you cheeky little minx! You just pinched my bum!"

"Just…look what the theater is playing, yeah?"

He glanced up, realization dawning on his face. He fixed his attention back on her, his face lighting up with pride and affection before scooping her up and twirling her in a huge, joyful hug.

"You gorgeous, _brilliant_ creature!" he cried, placing a smacking kiss on her lips once he'd finally settled her back on the ground. He called over to Mickey. "Agent Smith! We're going in!"

Mickey turned to look at them, mobile still pressed to his ear, mouthing "What?" before glancing up at the billboard. A slow grin spread across his face as he began talking again. "Guys, we may have found a good starting point. We're at the Anderson Theater, 9th and Broadway." He stopped a for a moment and chuckled. "The one that's playing _CATS_."

* * *

><p>"No <em>wonder<em> _CATS _is still running in this universe!" the Doctor jabbered as they moved around the backstage area of the theater. "It's played by real, true, honest-to-goodness bipedal felines! They must be _enchanting _to watch. Really, Rose, we have to catch the show before we leave."

"One thing at a time, Doctor," Rose replied, leaning against the wall in a huff. They hadn't moved in several minutes, and their searching was getting nowhere. "So what's going on? Have you got anything?"

The Doctor was on his knees, running his sonic along the floorboards. Suddenly, he sat up. "Biodampening technology." he said. "Massive biodampening technology, all throughout the theater."

"That must be why the tracer stopped working, yeah?" Mickey piped up. "I mean, it's run with biodata, right? So if they're damping down their biological signature…"

The Doctor looked up at Mickey, beaming. "Oh, high marks, Mickey! Well done!"

"Since when do you know anything about biological signatures?" Rose asked him.

"It hasn't been that long, Rose," he teased. "You know I'm an expert in biology."

The Doctor's head shot up at this, annoyance flashing in his eyes before his expression once again turned neutral. "Well, you may know biology, but I've got advanced degrees in the Romance languages." He stopped for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Wow…that was possibly the cheesiest thing I've ever said."

"Really? You're sure about that?" Rose turned to make a face at Mickey before crouching down next to the Doctor and placing a light, lingering kiss on his cheek. "Don't worry about it…you're fluent in _several _tongues," she whispered, nipping at his earlobe before drawing away and rubbing his shoulders discretely. He turned at met her eyes with a small smile, which she returned.

"Rose Tyler," he murmured, nuzzling his nose against hers affectionately before continuing. "The problem is not the biodampening technology. If they've got that, they might be using some sort of perception filter, which would be very, _very _bad for those of us trying to find them…"

"What's that?" Rose asked. "Perception filter?"

"A sort of…cloaking technology," the Doctor explained. "Alters your perception. You see past the object of the filter. Very effective. Even one on the TARDIS, which is why we can park her anywhere and no one gives her a second thought."

"Can you disable it? Or something?" Mickey asked.

He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "If I had the TARDIS, it'd be a snap. Now…I may have to rummage around the Torchwood branch here, maybe send away to London for some parts. Could take a while…"

"Or we could just do this the old fashioned way…" Rose offered.

Both men looked at her blankly.

"We could _look_?"

Mickey stared at her. "Huh. I never thought of that."

The Doctor scoffed. "You wouldn't."

"Did you?"

He tugged at his ear nervously. "Well…no…"

Rose rolled her eyes before grasping the Doctor's hand and pulling him up. "I'm sure you both would have figured it out eventually…"

They continued on for nearly half an hour the old-fashioned way, combing through dressing rooms and investigating every nook and cranny for hidden doorways or other evidence of a large hideaway. The Doctor explained that since they had an inkling of what they were looking for, they might actually have a chance of seeing past the perception filter, but there was nothing.

"Ohhh, no wonder we never do things the old-fashioned way," the Doctor groaned. "I'll have to build us something…"

"Well, good thing you're a genius," Mickey snapped. "What do you need?"

Rose's mind wandered a bit as they began to talk technology and specifications. She took in her surroundings, noting the lovely carvings, pillars, old pieces of scenery, and various props strewn about. There was a lovely stone bridge strewn with fake flowers that Rose was positive she'd seen in her secondary school production of _The Music Man. _It was almost exactly the same design, though Rose was fairly certain that this replica was _not _made out of cardboard.

She was also fairly certain that hers did not have a pair of tiny, glowing yellow eyes peeking out from underneath.

Slowly, Rose turned back towards the Doctor, keeping a watch out of the corner of her eye. She touched his arm gently and leaned in to whisper, "Doctor…don't make a fuss…but I think something is watching us…"

"What?" the Doctor replied, straining his neck to look around the room. "Where?"

"Shh!" she scolded. "Just…look…under that bridge…"

"The bridge…?" he asked, looking confused before his eyes landed on the prop and widened. "Ohhh! The bridge…"

He tucked his sonic back into his jacket and, attempting nonchalance, began to wander over to the small structure. He crouched down, peeking carefully underneath, and beamed when he caught sight of whatever was hiding there.

"Hello!" he said brightly.

Instantly, he was knocked off his feet by a small orange-and-blue blur that took off down the hallway. Mickey was off like a shot and already shouting into his mobile, the Doctor on his feet in what seemed like a nanosecond and catching up quickly. Rose chased after them, the Doctor having already overtaken Mickey and was leading them in hot pursuit of what appeared to be an orange tabby in blue overalls and a baseball cap.

It would have been adorable if at that very moment, a door hadn't been thrown open right in the Doctor's path. He slammed into it with a sickening _thud_, Rose shrieking for him as he fell to the floor.

"Oh, my God," Rose sprinted over and immediately crouched down next to him, her heart picking up speed at the sight of him. He was laying almost completely still on the floor, hands cupping his nose and mouth and a small trickle of blood leaking out between his fingers. "Come on, Doctor, sit up…"

The Doctor groaned as Rose helped pull him into a sitting position, immediately fishing a few tissues from inside of his suit coat and pressing them against his bleeding nose. "Really? Did you not hear the running? And the shouting? Who throws open a door when there's running and shouting?"

Rose froze at the familiar sound of a sonic blaster charging up. She hadn't heard the noise for over a year, something that she would ever associate with one person…

"State your name, organization, and intent before I blast you into atoms, cupcake."

…Jack Harkness.

"Jack," Rose breathed, momentarily thrilled to see one of her closest friends before remembering that she was no longer in her own universe. This Jack would have no idea who she was. He had never told her she was worth fighting for, before leaving her with a kiss so sweet that the memory still brought tears to her eyes.

"Name, organization, and intent…and please explain how we know one another?" Jack's blue eyes looked down at them

"Oh, Harkness, put away the blaster, no one's impressed by the size of your gun," the Doctor moaned. "Blimey, that hurt. I don't think I've ever hit a door that hard. What is it, made of steel? Two inches thick? What are you hiding back there, missile silos?"

"Name, organi-"

"Mickey Smith,Torchwood Institute, searching for the source of a distress call…" Mickey had jogged over to explain their situation, and Rose finally focused her attention on the Doctor.

"Ow," he whined as she touched the tender bridge of his nose. The bleeding had stopped quickly enough, but he would likely still bruise.

Rose tutted sympathetically. "Poor Doctor! Did you get an owie?"

He glared at her. "That, my dear, hurt a great deal. I'll not have you mocking my pain."

Rose grinned and placed a gentle kiss on the bridge of his nose. He sighed, eyes fluttering shut at her ministrations. "There, kissed it better. Did it help?"

"No," he replied, breathless but still petulant before allowing Rose to help pull him to his feet.

"Torchwood, huh?" Jack asked, eyebrows raised but his blaster thankfully tucked back into its holster. "Is that how you know who I am? Am I on some sort of Torchwood watch list?

"Sort of…" Rose answered, looking pleadingly at the Doctor for some help but he offered nothing. He simply slung his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her into his side, glaring at this Jack with one eyebrow raised. Rose groaned internally, half expecting the Doctor to growl menacingly and shout "MINE." She opted not to comment, instead turning her attention back to the familiar face of one of her closest friends, though sadly devoid of the warmth and affection she was accustomed to. "It's a long story, we'll get into it later. What are you doing here?"

"Same thing you are, sweetheart." He leaned back against the door casually, his eyes tracing up her form and a familiar, flirty grin appearing on his face. Rose's heart swelled with affection, even as the Doctor scoffed next to her. "We haven't been introduced…Captain Jack Harkness…but then you knew that. And you are?"

"Rose Tyler," she beamed, reaching out to grasp his hand.

"And I'm the Doctor," he interjected, sounding irritable. "Rose is with me. And Mickey."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "A three-fer? Haven't seen one of those since...last night."

"What? No, that's…"

Rose interrupted smoothly. "He's winding you up, Doctor," she muttered. "This is my…boyfriend…" She forced the word out, still hating the sound of it when describing the Doctor. "…and Torchwood Specialties Consultant Dr. John Smith. Mickey is one of my oldest friends and the leader of our field team. As he told you, we're here on Torchwood business. Can you tell us more about what happened?"

Jack pushed off the wall, suddenly all business once again while he explained what happened and led them down the hallway. He had been assigned to protect the large family of _ Homo Sapiens Feliniis_ when their ship had crashed. It was a simple, brusque explanation, Rose knowing full well that he was omitting certain facts. He didn't trust them, it was obvious. She tried not to let it sting, she tried to remind herself that this wasn't _her _Jack, but it was difficult to reconcile this Jack with the one she'd known and loved back home.

"They're here," he stopped them at a brick wall, pulling a device out of his greatcoat. "I had to use a-"

"Perception filter," the Doctor interrupted. "Oh, that's gorgeous. Where'd you find this sort of technology?"

Jack's face tightened for a split second before he broke out into a charming grin. "I know people in the industry," he replied vaguely before aiming the tiny remote at the wall and pressing a button. Instantly, the bricks shifted out of focus and were replaced with a drab metal door. The only defense it seemed to have other than the filter was a simple Yale lock. Jack slid a key into the lock and turned, pushing the door open to reveal the cavernous room behind it.

Rose stopped, completely awestruck. There were at least a dozen adult felines in varying styles of clothing, some looking as though they stepped right out of the 1970's and others simply in jeans with a hole cut out for their tails. There were cats of all colors, even resembling different domestic breeds she'd seen on Earth. What she assumed were children, moving like human toddlers despite not being much bigger than a typical house cat, were chasing each other in a game resembling Tag. The room was set up much like an emergency shelter, with small cots and blankets strewn about and various tables and chairs lining the walls. The main difference between this and an emergency station was, apart from the clientele, a rather large, dark space craft parked in a corner.

"Ohhhh, _brilliant_," the Doctor breathed. "And no casualties? Everyone faring well?"

"So far," Jack answered. "I managed to make a deal with the owners of the theater. They're putting on two productions a day of CATS. People are raving for it. I don't think he wants us to go."

Rose laughed, Jack cracking a smile at the noise. "I should think not! Can't get much more authentic than this!"

"So what were they running from?" Mickey piped up.

Jack's head snapped up in his direction. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you said you were protecting them," he replied. "And you were in flight, near Earth…you're in hiding now…what was going on?"

"We might be able to help," Rose added quickly when she noticed Jack's eyes narrowing. "You know, if we know the whole story."

"I don't think it's important thing to share at the moment, right?" Jack asked, a bit of a break showing through his cool façade. "We just…really could use some supplies and help getting the ship working. Can you do that?"

Rose glanced at the Doctor who had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the entire exchange. His specs were on, and he was studying the familiar-but-not-quite the same aliens as if they were the most fascinating thing in the universe.

"Rose," he breathed, grasping her hand a pulling her over next to him. "Look at them. They are…so glorious. Surviving, thriving, succeeding against all odds. Raising their children, never giving up hope…just…_remarkable…_" He turned to her and, without warning, cupped her face and planted a gentle kiss on her lips before pressing their foreheads together. "You're amazing. I don't tell you enough. I should tell you every day how much you astound me. Because you do, Rose. And…I love you…so very, _very _much…I don't tell you that nearly often enough either…I really ought to rectify that…"

"Doctor," Rose began, a bit unnerved by his reaction. "Are you all right?"

He chuckled. "I think I am, Rose." He gathered her to his side before looking up at Jack and beaming. "You've got a man for the job, Captain Jack! Now, let's get these marvelous creatures on their way! Where do you keep your tools, Harkness? Hidden in the catwalk? Haha...cat walk? Get it? Oh, never mind, I'm very clever. No one ever gets my jokes." He turned back to Rose. "You ready to do this?"

She beamed at him in response. "Ready when you are! Just…" She trailed off, smiling at him teasingly. "No more cat jokes for the rest of the day, yeah?"


	16. Chapter 15

**Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Many thanks to timelord1, who_in_whoville, and scifigeekgirl for being amazing :-)**

The next few days passed with little variation. The team would rise, enjoy a lively breakfast, and make their way into town. The Doctor was leading the repairs on the ship, training Agent George and various members of their combined Torchwood teams on the slipstream engine and how to repair it. Rose had delegated herself to helping Carrie with Interspecies Relations. They spend as much time with the _Homo Sapiens Feliniis_ as possible, learning about their culture and lifestyle. Rose had volunteered to report on growth and development…which basically meant she was playing with the children of the species all day. It was absolutely delightful, learning their games and in return teaching them the ones she remembered from her own childhood.

The youngest of the species were virtually identical to native Earth kittens, but possessing roughly the same intelligence level of human infants. She greatly enjoyed holding and cooing at the tiny creatures, watching them play with the mixture of child toys and pet toys she brought along on a daily basis. The children capable of speech were so inquisitive, babbling at her a mile a minute and asking a million questions about her, about Earth, and about New York. It was an amazing time, one that put the thrill of experiencing a new world back into her. It was just like old times, right down to the Doctor and Jack covered in grease and good-naturedly bickering.

Watching them work together was often the most difficult part of her day. Jack was loosening up around them, learning to trust the individuals and the Institute, but still was often cold and suspicious towards them all. She would often catch glimpses of the man she had known and adored like a brother, in his easy smile and the flirtatious banter that was increasing with each passing day and would feel a new flash of certainty that they could, one day, be friends.

Her heart would often clench at the sight of the Doctor, buried in the engine of the ship, barking out orders to Jack, who was generally the only one who had any idea what he was talking about. It was so much like their time on the TARDIS, even though her Doctor had worn a different face and this Jack had no idea what they had experienced with his parallel counterpart. The two of them had developed a sort of begrudging respect for one another, and Rose enjoyed listening to their half-serious arguing in the middle of ship repairs.

One night, nearly a week into their stay in New York, she and the Doctor were lying in their bed in Brooklyn, curled tightly together. She was wondering if it was as difficult for the Doctor as it was for her, and decided to take advantage of their newfound penchant for communicating and ask him about it.

"Is it hard?" she queried, her fingers stroking idly up and down his bare chest.

"Hmmm…could be…might have to work back up to it…" he replied cheekily.

Rose laughed, reaching up to ruffle his hair. "That's not what I meant and you know it. Is it…difficult? Working with Jack again?"

"Ah, that…"

Rose sighed. "S just…I thought it was weird when we were here the first time, Ricky and Jackie looking at me like I was a stranger. We weren't here for long after, though. And Jack, he's so similar, but so different at the same time…"

"So much of what shapes us is our experiences," the Doctor told her, placing a gentle, comforting kiss on top of her head. "The universes are parallel but not exactly the same. This Jack might have the same potential as the one we knew, the same basic personality traits, but he's a completely different person."

"You said…before…that Time Lords could pop between universes? Did you often come across familiar faces?"

Rose peeked up and saw his nose wrinkled adorably. "Nah," he replied. "Then again…our universe and this one are parallel. The parallel universes are bound to be most similar. I remember we took the odd trip at the Academy. One observation was in a universe where dinosaurs had never gone extinct and humans had evolved from there. Yet another was where, somehow, evolution had gone wrong and pigeons were the apex predators of the food chain. Mind you, this wasn't exactly my area…"

Rose waited for a moment for him to elaborate, enjoying the feel of his gently stroking fingers on her back. When he didn't speak up, Rose gently prodded, "Yeah? What was your area?"

The Doctor wrinkled his nose in distaste. "I suppose the closest thing on Earth is…pharmaceuticals…"

Rose snorted, burying her face in his chest to hide her giggles.

"Laugh it up, Tyler," he grumbled playfully. "Dreadfully boring, but I had a knack for chemistry and medicine, so that's where they put me. I developed biologically-appropriate balms, salves, pills, and remedies. Know that disgusting-tasting cough syrup? That was one of mine…"

"Oh, thanks for that!" Rose slapped his chest. "Single handedly traumatized my childhood. Don't know why I'm surprised."

He chuckled and pulled her closer, sighing. "Seems like so long ago now…I'm getting old."

Rose could sense him falling back into the melancholy that still made various appearances, especially in quiet hours like this. It wasn't difficult to break him out of the funk, especially if she caught onto his mood quickly. She met his deep brown gaze with a teasing smile of her own, pressing fluttering kisses against his chest as her hand snaked down his torso and disappeared under the sheet.

"Hmmm," she murmured as her hand closed around him. "Doesn't feel old to me…"

The Doctor gasped out her name, Rose silencing him immediately with a kiss.

* * *

><p>It was several days before the Doctor declared the ship "almost repaired." The <em>Homo Sapiens Feliniis <em>were thrilled with the progress, and decreed that they all _must _attend the performance that evening. He had groused loudly, trying to cite more necessary repairs on the ship, but the quasi-leader of the group, Bast, managed to convince him to take the night off.

He'd complained up until Rose had descended the stairs in a form-fitting black shift dress. By the time he remembered how to form a sentence, his mouth was far too busy with Rose's neck to be bothered.

They'd been gifted with orchestra seats, close enough to see the gorgeous detail of the stage but not so close that they had to strain their necks to see. The entire row consisted of the Torchwood agents, and the Doctor very quickly found himself happily talking and bantering through the orchestra tune-up. He was almost surprised when he had realized a few days previous that genuinely liked working with the agents. It seemed to make Rose happy, as well, seeing that he was enjoying himself despite the Situation still looming over their heads. Connecting with the people around her was making it easier for her to adjust to life in this universe, and seeing that it was doing the same for him seemed to put her mind at ease.

He knew Rose was quite a social creature, and she formed friendships quickly. People were drawn to her, no matter what planet they were on. He'd never felt the need for close relationships, insisting that he worked best as a solitary unit who simply didn't mind occasional company.

Being with Rose seemed to be changing him to the core, as if his need for her was now expanding out to include his need for _people _in general. He'd found himself falling into friendships without even realizing it and genuinely enjoying the company of people other than Rose even before they'd fallen into this universe. She never seemed to stop making him better, and he smiled softly at her as this thought occurred to him.

The lights flashed, Rose grinning at him as she linked their arms together and fixed her eyes on the stage. Her face lit up with joy as the theater dimmed and the orchestra began the overture.

The Doctor, having seen _CATS _in their original universe several times over, contented himself with watching Rose. She had confessed to him earlier that she'd never been to a West End show, not even on a school trip. They'd always been expected to pay for their own ticket, and Jackie was never been able to spare the funds. He felt a bit guilty for being partially glad of it, for being thrilled at the prospect of sharing yet another first experience with her, to watch her eyes alight with amazement as she experienced something new and incredible for the first time.

He linked their fingers together and grinned merrily as the bouncy melodies and gorgeous voices of their cat friends washed over them.

He watched Rose's face take on an expression of utter delight as Jack, nearly unrecognizable under his costume and make up, began smoothly crooning and gyrating as Rum Tug Tugger, charming every woman in the house. He chuckled along with her at their friend, Kristo, who was normally slender and athletic, decked out in a round suit to play Bustoffer Jones. He gently stroked his thumb across her cheek and collected her tears when Alonia, as Grizzabella, sang of memories and regrets.

When the show was over, the theater once again bright and abuzz with chatter, Rose turned to him, eyes shining with happiness. She cupped his face and kissed him briefly, their connection flaring with her emotions at the contact. He gasped as they pulled apart, her hands moving to stroke tenderly through the hair at the back of his neck as he pressed their foreheads together.

"You take me to the best places," she murmured. "I love you."

He had to forcibly swallow back the Gallifreyan words of devotion that were bubbling in his throat. He settled for a simple, "I love you," still feeling like the words were woefully inadequate to describe the maelstrom of emotion swirling inside of him.

He resolved, once again, to remedy this situation as soon as humanly possible.

* * *

><p>Rose woke up late the next morning. It was a Saturday, and most of the team had opted for the day off to recuperate. The Doctor, of course, with his superior biology, had little need for recuperation time. He was putting the final touches on the spacecraft with Mickey, Jake, and a few agents from New York's office. He'd told her it would only take a few hours, and they would be back with plenty of time to get cleaned up and ready for the evening.<p>

It was apparently tradition among Mickey's team that they take at least one night as a group to go out and have a good time. They were going to New York's hottest club, apparently known as HEYYYYYYY! She was looking forward to experiencing New York's night life, having a nice time with their friends and coworkers and celebrating very nearly closing on a successful mission.

"Rose!" Liza called from the hallway. She knocked gently at the door before poking her head in, and Rose had to scramble a bit to protect her modesty. Liza grinned and rolled her eyes. "Oh, love, it's nothing I haven't seen before…besides, these walls are thin." She strode into the room, carrying several dark garment bags and draping them across the bed before plopping onto the corner. "These were delivered for you and the Doctor. And this," she offered an envelope.

"Thanks," Rose took the envelope and watched Liza expectantly. She just smiled back. "Do you mind? I should…put something on…"

Liza sighed, glancing around on the floor before tossing Rose one of the Doctor's discarded vests. "Here. Sorry it's not a flannel nightgown. Honestly, you'd think I'd never seen a pair of…"

"Thanks, Liza," Rose interrupted, pulling the vest over her head and rooting around under the duvet for her knickers. She tugged them on surreptitiously before scooting up the bed and opening the envelope, revealing a note from Pete's PR representative, Ella

_ Rose-_

_ Word got out that you are all going to New York's hottest club HEYYYYYYY, and the designers have been breaking the door down begging for you and Dr. Smith to wear their clothes. I sent along a selection that your mother approved. Do not feel obligated, but hey, what girl doesn't love free clothes?_

_ Have a great time! Tell Dr. Smith to change out of his suit…for all our sakes!_

_ Ella_

Rose grinned at the note. "Apparently we have some clothes to look through, Liza."

The petite blonde squealed, delighted, and hopped off the bed. "I'm getting Carrie. Then I'm making a 'No Boys Allowed!' sign for the door so we can go through this all properly. Don't you dare open those bags without us, all right?"

Rose laughed, putting up her hands in surrender. "All right, all right. I won't even touch them."

"This is going to be so much fun!" Liza said, doing a little dance. She paused and looked at Rose "Do you think we'll get to keep the clothes?"

"Go get Carrie," Rose laughed, waving her friend towards the door. Once she was gone Rose got out of bed and headed to the ensuite. She pulled on a pair of shorts and set about brushing her teeth, determined to banish her morning breath before Girl Time commenced.

* * *

><p>Several hours and loads more gossip than she ever thought possible later, Rose was finally in the shower, commencing phase one of primping for the evening. She'd instantly found the perfect dress and had been giddy with delight when the shoes and accessories had been included. These designers apparently thought of everything.<p>

She was contemplating the best way to get the Doctor to ditch his suit for the evening when the door to the shower pulled open, blasting her with cooler air. She turned around, startled until she saw the grinning face of the Doctor ducking his head into the spray.

"Sorry, have we met?" she asked, mock-affronted.

"Yes, just last night. Poor me, following you around like a lost puppy. Finally had to corner you in the shower. Don't worry, I don't bite…not without consent…" He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her in for a gentle kiss, nipping lightly at her bottom lip in the process. "Hello."

She smiled, trying not to let her traitorous body react to his slick, warm skin against hers. "Hello. How's the ship?"

He grabbed the soap and began lathering up quickly. "Beautiful. Runs like a dream. They're heading out first thing tomorrow, they wanted to be sure we were there to see them off."

"Oh!" Rose was flattered that they wanted to say goodbye. "I'm going to miss them…suppose it would be dangerous to ask them to keep in touch…"

"A bit, yeah." He wriggled his way under the warm spray and began to rinse off, grabbing the shampoo in the process.

"And Jack?" Rose asked.

"Not sure of his plans." The Doctor sighed as he lathered his hair. "It might behoove him to stay behind. Torchwood would be able to offer a great deal of protection against whatever is after them. Though it would be difficult, not knowing the entire story."

"Yeah," she agreed, deciding quickly to change the subject. "Did you see the clothes Ella sent over? Gorgeous! I found the perfect dress for tonight."

"Did you now?" he replied, grasping her shoulders and turning her towards the spray. He then grabbed her shampoo and began gently massaging it into her hair. Rose groaned, letting her head fall back onto his shoulder. "I can't wait to see it…"

Rose shivered at the low tone of his voice. "They…sent things for you as well…"

"Mmm," he murmured, kissing across her shoulder. "Such a shame it will all go to waste."

This broke her out of her lusty haze, and she spun around to face him. "You know…you really shouldn't wear your suit tonight, Doctor. It's…an exclusive place. They can refuse entry based on what you're wearing."

He stared at her blankly. "Rose, this club was built next to a hobo's trash can fire. I think it can deal with my old suit for an evening."

"Doctor!"

"Don't you go pulling the big, pleading eyes on me, it won't work!"

Rose huffed. "Fine. I suppose you'll look good in anything…"

He grinned. "Well, I didn't want to be the one to say it…"

Rose giggled and swatted at him playfully. He grasped her wrist and pulled her to him, still smiling as he pressed his lips to hers.

* * *

><p>Some time and several stolen kisses later, they finally shut off the taps and emerged from the steamy stall. Rose left the ensuite, giving the Doctor time to shave and her a few minutes to start her own primping.<p>

As she pulled on her dressing gown, she noticed the Doctor's freshly sonic-ed suit hanging inside of the closet door. Several scenarios ran through her head concerning effective ways of getting him to leave it for the evening. She couldn't bring herself to cause it any harm, as she was fairly certain she loved it as much as he did. She contemplated everything from shipping it back to London and bribing him with sexy lingerie before the perfect solution finally occurred to her.

Grinning, she took the suit off the hanger and folded it neatly into a small bundle. She headed down to Mickey's room and tucked it into his underwear drawer, scribbling a short note telling him he could do whatever he wanted with it, so long as it wasn't damaged.

Whistling a jaunty tune, she headed back to their room to choose the Doctor's new outfit. She unzipped the first bag, a selection of outerwear, and her face immediately lit up when she saw the first item. She traced her hands over the smooth material, closing her eyes against the wave of nostalgia that suddenly threatened to overtake her.

"We are _definitely _using this one," she muttered.

When the Doctor emerged from the ensuite a scant ten minutes later, freshly shaved, clad only in a towel, and smelling incredible, Rose very willingly abandoned her make up to show him some affection. She sauntered over and watched his eyes go dark as she nuzzled into his neck and breathed deeply.

"Mmmmm," she murmured, pressing light kisses into the skin. "You smell _amazing…_"

She could feel the muscles in his throat contract as he swallowed. "Yes…well…" She felt him tense, and she grinned. "Rose," he began slowly. "Where is my suit?"

"Hm? What suit?"

"The one I have worn every day since I regenerated?" he offered, pulling back to look at her smiling face. "What did you do with it?"

Her grin widened as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You'll never find it!" she singsonged. "Your clothes are on the bed!"

"Oh, no…" he said, pulling out of her arms. "No no no no no! We are not playing this game, Rose Tyler! You tell me where you hid my suit right now!"

She pretended to consider it for a moment. "No, I don't think I will, thanks." She grinned and moved back to the vanity.

"Rose!" he sputtered. "There's…highly sensitive equipment in those pockets! We can't just…let it fall into the wrong hands!"

"I promise, it's perfectly safe." She picked up her blush and began dusting on a light layer. "You need to venture out of your comfort zone sometimes, Doctor."

"Oh, I'll venture _you _outside your…comfort…zone…" he finished lamely, running his hand agitatedly through his hair. "Rose, honestly…"

"Don't get stroppy. You'll be fine," she told him, meeting his eyes in the mirror. "I promise, nothing will happen to you except that you'll look fantastic. Do you trust me?"

He narrowed his eyes at her before sighing dramatically and picking up the garment bag. "If they chose my pants, I am _not _wearing them!"

"Sounds promising!" she teased as he disappeared back into the ensuite.

* * *

><p>Once her hair and makeup were perfect, Rose quietly stole out of the room with her own bag to get ready in Liza's room. The dress they'd helped her choose was gorgeous; a drapey, fluttery one-shouldered silk frock that ended a few inches above her knees and was patterned with vibrant diagonal stripes. It was sexy without being too overt, and Rose had fallen head-over-heels for it instantly. Glittery nude peep-toe stilettos and chandelier earrings completed the look. Her hair was curled and artfully pinned, her makeup subdued, and she had dabbed the Doctor's favorite jasmine-and-rose perfume in several strategic locations.<p>

Rose grinned at the image the three women made in the mirror. Liza and Carrie both looked beautiful, Liza having gone with a funky strapless number, and Carrie deciding on a slightly more mature, retro-inspired dark blue shift dress. She hadn't had a reason to dress up with girlfriends in so long, and they'd had such fun that they were already making plans for a night out in London. Rose made a mental note to invite Martha along as well.

When they finally left Liza's room, it took Rose a bit to remember how to walk in such precarious shoes. Her feet had been spoiled by trainers and sensible pumps, and while the shoes were well-made and relatively comfortable, she still had a bit of trouble balancing and had to descend the stairs carefully.

When he finally felt stable enough to look up, the sight before her almost made her knees give out.

The Doctor was standing at the foot of the stairs, the look in his eyes all heat and storm and focused directly on her. She couldn't be certain her face didn't have the same expression as she took him in slowly. He'd foregone the dress shoes, instead lacing up a pair of his usual trainers, except in brown. For as often as she'd tried to get him into jeans, she was completely unprepared for the reality. They were a lovely dark wash and fitted in all the right places. He was wearing a crisp white button-down, sparsely decorated with thin blue and brown stripes. The clincher, though, was the slim, brown blazer-style leather jacket that hung on his slender frame like it belonged there. He looked positively _delectable_, and Rose contemplated simple dragging him to the bedroom and never letting him out again.

The look in his eyes as she descended let her know that he was contemplating the very same thing.

"Hello," he breathed as she came into his arms.

"Hello, yourself," she replied.

"You…" he began, mouth moving as if he wanted to form words, but none would ever do the moment justice. "You…"

"Yeah," she said, stroking her hands up the buttery-soft leather and nearly swooning in his arms. "You, too…"

He smiled. "Good different?"

"Oh, _very _good different," she murmured, pushing up a bit on her toes and tilting her head to kiss him.

"Damn, girl!" a voice broke into their little idyll. She turned and finally noticed the rest of their team, plus Agents James and George, watching them with grins on their faces. "You are looking _fly_! What are you doing with this joker when you could have a _real _man?"

"Watch it, James," the Doctor warned, his eyes never leaving Rose's. "That's my lady you're talking to."

"Cabs are here!" Mickey called out. "Let's go, Team Rocket!"

"Team Rocket?" Bill groaned as they all gathered their coats. "I thought we'd decided on Team Lightning."

Ken, almost always quiet to the point of near invisibility piped up. "Team Macho, guys. We decided on Team _Macho!_"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Liza protested as they all began to pile in the three waiting cabs. "Is this what you did all day? Come up with the lamest team names _ever?_"

Rose laced her fingers through the Doctor's and grinned at him. "Ten quid says they don't stop until they're completely hammered."

He grinned back. "Done!"

* * *

><p>Jack was well on his way to being completely smashed by the time they arrived.<p>

"GUYS!" he called out joyously over the thumping bass, bounding over to gather as many people as he could into a group hug. "I am _so happy _to see you! This place is great, isn't it great?"

"Sure," the Doctor agreed, steering Rose towards the bar before whispering low in her ear. "If you like the underside of the Staten Island ferry…"

Rose giggled, screeching in delight as Jack pulled her away and encouraged her to twirl in front of him. "Rose, if I didn't think this guy here would pummel me, I'd try all night to get you home with me." He turned to the Doctor, looking him up and down in approval. "Scratch that…make that try to get _both_ of you home with me…"

"And I don't think we'd be able to say no!" she smiled teasingly at him. "You don't clean up half bad yourself, Harkness."

Jack preened a bit, looking down at his stylishly cut gray suit and fitted black t-shirt. He grinned at them. "Come on, drinks! First round's on me! You have a lot to catch up on."

The Doctor smirked. "Is your money even any good here, Captain?"

Jack winked at them and pulled out a brown leather case, flipping it open to reveal a small piece of rectangular paper. Rose watched in amazement as the words "Shhhh! I stole this from the Time Agency. Don't tell anyone!" scrawled across the page before disappearing.

"Is that…psychic paper?" the Doctor asked, glancing back at Jack. "You're a…Time Agent? And you have psychic paper?"

He blinked slowly at them. "_Was _a Time Agent is more accurate. Hey! How do you even know what the Time Agency is? And psychic paper! How do you know what psychic paper is?" Jack asked.

"I successfully repaired a slipstream engine and cloaked a massive space craft…you're really surprised?"

"Guess not, actually," Jack replied, clapping the Doctor on the shoulder. "And you helped me friends so I guess you're not all bad. That's all I was trying to do…help them. 'Cause they helped me, you know? According to our comrades at the Agency, that classified me as a 'renegade'. As were my 'test subjects'." Jack's face went cold for a moment before breaking out into another huge grin. "Well, we outran them anyway! That's the important part!" He smacked a kiss on the Doctor's cheek. "You're the best, you know that, Doctor? Come on, let's get that sweet British bum of yours HUH-WASTED!"

The Doctor turned and met Rose's gaze, another piece of the Jack puzzle slipping into place. "Well, that was an interesting revelation…"

"It was," Rose grinned at him. "Same old Jack, seems like."

"Seems like…"

Rose could practically see the cogs turning inside his massive brain. He was formulating a plan, she knew it. He wanted to help Jack, and in turn help the amazing species they had just spent the last week coming to know and care about.

As much as she loved this about him, it wasn't a night for plotting a way to save the universe. She linked her arm through his and gave him a smile that she knew would derail any train of thought he had. It worked, almost too easily. His expression immediately softened as he gazed down at her.

"Come on, Time Lord," she teased. "Let's get you 'HUH-WASTED!'"


	17. Chapter 16

**So after a spectacular computer failure that miraculously fixed itself, I am finally able to post this! THANK YOU THANK YOU for sticking with me and all the wonderful reviews! They keep me going!**

**Things do get a bit steamy in this chapter, but I've edited for . ****Please note that a longer, Adult-Rated version can be found at my livejournal... username is onabearskinrug and you can click the tag for DOTE...since won't let us post hyperlinks, this is the best I can do :-) Enjoy!**

After spending the evening entwined in the Doctor's arms, moving sensuously to the music together as the rest of the universe melted away, Rose felt ready to combust. The Doctor apparently felt the same. He'd alternated between whispering words of sweet devotion and dark, heated promises until Rose had been ready to pull him into a bathroom stall and have her wicked way with him. Instead, she'd whispered back how badly she wanted him and that he really needed to find them a cab.

Her six appletinis had made her bold, and she was blissfully unaware of the cab driver as she climbed in the Doctor's lap and kissed him eagerly and thoroughly. Though she'd never seen him drink before, he'd knocked back several gin-and-tonics and Rose could tell they were affecting him. His kisses were sloppier than usual, his hands lacked their usual finesse, and his mouth was running a mile a minute when it wasn't occupied with hers.

He groaned loudly when his hands wandered beneath her skirt and felt the expanse of skin where her knickers usually resided. His fingers gripped her briefly before he began to trace them gently along the edge of her barely-there underwear. The soft lace against her skin was incredibly stimulating, Rose couldn't contain the little moans that were rising out of her throat.

"You are so sexy," he murmured, tracing wet, open-mouthed kisses down her neck. "So beautiful…I always want you. Not just for your mind…never just for that…I want your body, too, always…blimey, that sounded bad…I'm in quite a jumble…"

Rose chuckled and caught his lips once again. "I know what you meant."

"Good," he choked out as Rose nibbled his earlobe. "That feels good…everything about you and everything you do feels so good…your skin, your hair, when you move…" He gasped as she rotated her hips against his. "…just like that…"

"Hey, man," the cab driver interrupted, glancing in his rearview mirror and giving the amorous pair a little grin. "You want me to take the long way back?"

Rose felt her face flush. She made a motion to climb off the Doctor's lap now that driver had so rudely pierced their lusty little bubble. Instead, the Doctor gripped her hips, not allowing her to move as he leaned in and addressed the cabbie.

"Quick as you can, actually. And a big tip if you can make it less than ten minutes…"

* * *

><p>Some time later, the Doctor fell against her, panting, murmuring something incomprehensible against her neck. Rose simply wrapped him in her arms and held him close, trying to focus all of her emotions on that warm, pulsing spot in her mind where their link was resting contentedly. He gasped and pulled her tighter to him, rolling off to the side but gathering her into an embrace.<p>

"You amazing creature," he whispered in her ear, kissing the top of her head. "How…"

"What?" she mumbled, pressing slow, sleepy kisses to his chest and collarbone.

He chuckled a bit and pulled her impossibly tighter against him. "How, after everything I've done, did the universe see fit to give me you?"

"Because," she replied, fighting sleep. "You're wonderful…"

He snorted, stroking his fingertips up and down her arm. "Know what terrifies me?"

"Hmmm?"

"That I could stay here," he continued. "With you, forever, and be the happiest man on Earth. I say I don't do domestic, but I _crave_ it, if it means I have you."

Rose swallowed against the lump in her throat. She met his warm gaze, her eyes filling with tears. Emotions bubbled in her chest, but she couldn't find the words to describe them. Instead, she pulled him to her and kissed him, concentrating all of her remaining brain power on sending exactly how she felt for him through their link. He gasped into her mouth and cupped her cheek, kissing her like she'd never been kissed in her life.

When she finally had to pull away to breathe, she pressed her forehead to his. "I love you," she told him, chuckling. "Now I know what you meant, about those words not being enough…"

"Bloody English language," he teased. "Sleep now, love."

"Okay…" Rose mumbled, yawning hugely and snuggling deeper into his embrace. The Doctor pulled the duvet up to cover them both, and Rose kissed his chest before allowing the soothing double beat of his hearts lull her to sleep.

* * *

><p>Rose blinked awake, groaning at the piercing sunlight streaming through the window. It felt like each beam was a red-hot poker straight through her eyes to her brain. Her eyes felt sticky and heavy, undoubtedly because she hadn't removed her make-up, instead drifting off into a deep post-coital-and-alcohol-fueled slumber without even thinking about her usual nightly routine.<p>

She turned at the sound of the door to the bedroom opening. A grinning Doctor greeted her, carrying a glass of orange juice and a small bottle of pain pills. Rose was absolutely delighted to see he was back in his clothes from the night before.

"Good morning!" he chirped, moving to perch on the edge of the bed. He handed her the glass and tipped a few of the tiny brown tablets into her palm. "You're a sight, my darling. Simple ravishing."

Rose rolled her eyes as she chased the pills down with a huge gulp from her glass. "Yeah, 'raccoon' is so in this season." She drained the rest of the juice and immediately snuggled back down into the pillows. "Don't look so bad yourself. Those are lovely trousers."

"As I seem to have misplaced my suit, these were my only option."

"I like them."

He grinned. "I suppose they'll grow on me."

Rose grinned back. 'S not fair, you know. How come you're not hung over? You had twice as much as me."

"I can metabolize alcohol if I choose to," he replied, stretching out alongside her and giving her a wide, happy grin. "I didn't choose to until..._well...after..._"

Rose grinned back. "Sort of glad you did. Was amazing. Who knew getting you drunk would give you even more of a gob..."

"Just felt like the sorts of things one should share, really," he added. He smoothed her wild hair away from her face. "You were beautiful..."

Her smile widened and she took his hand. "So were you."

The Doctor chuckled. "I was _randy. _And chatty. And amorous...really the list goes on..."

"Didn't hear me complaining," she glanced down at her empty glass. "If we...make this permanent...will it be like this all the time? Just...wanting each other without the..." She floundered a bit for the right word.

"Angst?" the Doctor offered, grinning.

"Guess so."

He rolled onto his back, tucking his hands behind his head and looking thoughtful. "You're asking like I know what to expect. I can surmise, of course. Having your permanent presence would eliminate the _need_...well, the mental need I should say. The physical need, however," he turned to her, eyes dark. "While _that _is relatively new to me, I shouldn't think it will go away."

"Well _that's_ a relief," Rose teased.

"Indeed," he growled, leaning over to capture her mouth in a kiss.

"Stop, stop!" she shrieked, laughing into his mouth and pounding her fists against his chest. "I haven't even brushed my teeth! My mouth tastes like the floor of the club."

"Mmmm...tastes like hepatitis and broken dignity," he muttered, redoubling his efforts and climbing on top of her. She continued her half-hearted attempts at fighting him off, screeching with protests and laughter as, growling, he devoured her mouth and neck. He managed to pin her arms above her head and Rose stopped fighting at the look he suddenly gave her. His eyes were almost entirely black, his lips were parted, and his gaze was riveted on where the sheet had slipped down to her waist.

Rose arched towards him, straining against the hand that held her wrists. The Doctor growled in response and captured her lips with his.

There was a great deal more talking from that point on.

* * *

><p>Later in the day, the team was standing in the theater basement, exchanging hugs and well-wishes with their friends. Most of the family had already boarded the ship, but Bast had stayed behind, thanking them all profusely for all they'd done. Rose was just giving him a hug when Jack bounded out of the ship.<p>

"Well, the kids are all secure. Not happy about it, but secure." Jack reached a hand out and Bast offered a paw. "Thank you, sir. For...everything."

Rose looked between them, confused. "Jack, what...?"

"And you, Jack," Bast offered, warmth and affection in his tone. "You will always have friends among us."

"Hold on," Rose interrupted. "Jack, you're not going with them?"

"No," he replied. "The Doctor and I had a talk with Bast here this morning. We even got your dad on the line. I'm going back to London and staying."

"He'll be an asset." The Doctor had come up behind her and wrapped an arm casually around Rose's waist. "Pete agreed. This way we'll be able to offer protection should anyone from the Time Agency come calling."

"The cloaking device on the ship is meant to last for hundreds of years," Jack offered. "But just in case, they can come back and someone will be able to help."

"Win-win, all around!" the Doctor added, grinning and reaching out his free hand to Bast. "Safe journey, sir. It was a pleasure to know you."

"And you, Doctor. Blessings upon you and your mate," he gestured to Rose, who smiled in response.

"Thank you," Rose said, squeezing his paw once more before he turned and boarded the ship.

The Torchwood teams from London and New York watched as the ship rose a few feet in the cavernous room. Wheels dropped down like in an airplane, and a pair of nearly invisible cargo doors opened out into an alleyway. They watched the massive craft head towards the doors before they engaged the cloaking device, causing it to ripple and disappear before their eyes. They heard a loud roar as it presumably took off into the atmosphere.

The doors closed slowly, and the group glanced around at one another, sharing huge grins.

"And that's how we do it at _Torchwood N.Y.!_" Agent James whooped, high-fiving a slightly more composed Agent George.

The rest of the team celebrated jovially, patting Jack on the back and welcoming him to the team. The Doctor gathered Rose into a hug.

"You are so brilliant," he murmured, placing a kiss on her temple.

"Not so bad yourself."

Rose glanced to to see Jack standing by them, looking vaguely uncomfortable. "I think I owe you an explanation..."

"I think we owe you one, too," Rose replied.

"Lunch?"

The Doctor grinned. "I think I might know a place..."

* * *

><p>A short time later, the three of them were sitting around a small deli table, each with a sandwich and crisps in front of them. None of them had taken a bite. The Doctor and Rose had spent the last half-hour telling Jack their story, and it seemed that he had completely forgotten about the pastrami on rye on the table.<p>

"So you're telling me," he began slowly. "You're from a parallel dimension? And you're not..._human_?"

"I'm human," Rose protested. "He's the mad alien."

The Doctor glanced over at her, one eyebrow raised.

"What?" Rose grinned. "Just wanted to clear that up."

"And you're _sleeping _with him!" Jack piped up, leaning in conspiratorially. "Come on, tell me...what's it like?"

"Really, Jack?" the Doctor scoffed.

Rose turned her grin on Jack. "It's...bloody fantastic, actually."

"Rose!"

"Doctor!"

"What's he like?" Jack interrupted, leaning over the table and regarding Rose with great interest. "Does it have barbs? Tentacles?"

Rose laughed. "It's _perfect..._"

"Oh, Rose! Really?"

"What?" Rose turned back to the Doctor and gripped his hand. "'S nothing I wouldn't have told Keisha or Shireen..."

"So this is how you talk about your boyfriends?" he asked. "Blimey, I feel like a piece of meat..."

"Grade A Prime Choice..." Jack offered, wagging his eyebrows.

"Oi! That's my alien you're talking about," she replied teasingly.

"Can we get back to the issue at hand please?" the Doctor asked, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. "I believe you had something to share with us, Captain?"

"Oh, ruin our fun." Jack winked at Rose. "Well, you know most of the story. Time Agency sent me back to the 21st Century. They said they'd detected an anomaly, that a species was developing too quickly and could severely alter the timelines."

"Bast and his people?" Rose asked.

"His _family_," Jack corrected. "Bast was in charge of the experiments."

The Doctor furrowed his brow. "Let me guess...time travel?"

"Exactly." Jack sat back in his seat. "I couldn't do it. The agents had me undercover, posing as a stranded traveler. Bast took me in, he and his family cared for me, treated me like I was one of them even though I'm very obviously _not._"

Rose smiled and reached a hand out to cover his. "Obviously."

"I don't understand," the Doctor piped up. "Why have you go undercover? Why not just...deal with them and get it over with?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Jack sighed. "The agency wanted the technology, the experiments. I was supposed to get information before I...took care of the problem." He looked up, eyes hard. "I guess you can imagine that didn't sit well with me."

"Obviously," the Doctor offered. "So...you tipped them off and escaped?"

"The Agency can't be far behind. They can trace me much easier than they can trace them, so we decided it was best to separate. Your dad agreed." He turned to face Rose. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to put you guys in danger as well..."

"Don't worry about that, we can take care of ourselves," she offered, squeezing his hand.

"I've disabled trackers on your equipment," the Doctor told him. "The scans didn't show any in your body, but we'll have to do another with more sensitive equipment once we get back to London. I'll be able to disable them if there are any." He leaned forward. "You're safe, Captain. We won't let anything happen to you or to Bast and his family."

"That...means a lot, Doctor," Jack said. "Listen, I'm going to get back to your place in Brooklyn, help them get their things together so we don't miss the zeppelin. I'll see you guys back in London."

He patted Rose's hand and shook the Doctor's, thanking them once more before dropping a few American bills on the table and leaving the pair to their lunch. Rose took a large bite of her sandwich before something odd occurred to her. She turned back to the Doctor, her eyebrow raised.

"Why don't you swallow down that tiger-sized bite and then we can chat?" The Doctor grinned at her.

Rose rolled her eyes but complied, swallowing her food and taking a long sip of iced tea before turning back to the Doctor. "What did Jack mean, he'll see us back in London? Are we not going back with everyone else?"

"Hmmm?" the Doctor mumbled around his own food. He swallowed and fixed her with a grin. "Caught that, did you?"

"What are you planning, old man?" Rose teased, grabbing his hand and returning his smile.

"Well," the Doctor began. "I _may_ have spoken to your-Pete-about giving us a few extra days in the city. After all, you've been working so hard, and no one wants Jackie giving them grief about working her daughter to death..."

Rose laughed in delight. "You sneaky, sneaky man!"

"That's me," he told her. "What do you think, Rose Tyler? Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Metropolitan Museum of Art, carriage ride in Central Park?" He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. "New York is at our beck and call. What do you think?"

Rather than answer, Rose pulled him in for a long, lingering kiss. Her smile was blinding when she pulled away. "How long have we got?"

"Three days."

"Well, Time Lord," Rose teased. "I'll leave the time management to you."


	18. Chapter 17

**Thank you all so much for your continued reviews and support! I know this has been a while, but I fully intend to finish this story. Many thanks to my betas and friends, and apologies that this chapter ended up a bit short. Enjoy!**

Despite the fact that they were supposed to be relaxing, the Doctor made the next three days a whirlwind of activity. They were tourists from seven in the morning until late into the night, taking in the Statue of Liberty, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, baseball games, eating hot dogs from street carts and carousing through Times Square. He took Rose shopping at Barney's and she cringed at the price tags, despite the fact that the staff simpered and catered to her like she was a celebrity. To Rose's surprise, the Doctor actually purchased several suits in labels like Armani and Ralph Lauren, each one draping gorgeously over his slim frame like they were made for him alone.

When the salespeople were out of earshot, Rose tugged the Doctor to the side. "I hate to be the sensible one here, I know we've got credit cards now but that's no reason to go crazy. We could get suits just as nice for you back in London for half the price..."

"Don't you worry about that, Rose," he said, tweaking her nose affectionately and turning back to the mirror to admire the lovely, deep blue suit.

"But why not? I'm not entirely comfortable spending this much on clothes you know..."

"Don't _worry!" _

"We aren't using Pete's money for this, are we?"

He turned and gave her a withering look. "Rose, please. What do you think of this one?"

"'S gorgeous, but..."

"Have you noticed all the gadgets I've cobbled together in the last few weeks? Well, Pete did. So did the President. Turns out inventing for Torchwood is quite...lucrative. Sell a few patents, and money apparently appears in our joint checking account. So _don't. Worry."_

"What, seriously?" Rose asked him, mouth agape. "We have a joint checking account?"

"Oh, yes. The things I've done for you, Rose Tyler."

"How did I not know about any of this?"

"I didn't tell you? Must have slipped my mind. You know me, completely rubbish at things like this. Money and banking and domestics..." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before taking her hands and met her gaze. "I knew you wouldn't be comfortable living off Pete while we're here and I just...want to take care of you. Give you the best. Isn't that what blokes are supposed to do for their women?"

Rose smirked. "I'm sorry...their _women?_"

"In a manner of speaking..." He grinned at Rose. "Besides, I seem to remember someone _stealing _my only suit. It makes sense to purchase a few more in case the thief decides to strike again. And these happen to be _very_ well-made. I'd rather spend the money and have them _last _than have to buy new ones in a few months."

Rose returned his grin, her tongue caught teasingly between her teeth. "Listen to you, Mr. Savvy shopper. We gonna start warehouse shopping? Ten gallon vat of beans that it will take us five years to go through?"

"Cheeky," he told her. "Now, if there is anything that you need, I suggest you get it now. Because you will not be dragging me into a fancy department store for anything less than living plastic for at least a year."

Rose did end up buying a top for her mum and a pair of cufflinks for Pete, but found that the type of clothing lines the store carried didn't exactly appeal to her. She did, however, have a grand time slinking secretly around the lingerie section, choosing tiny underthings and soft, touchable sleepwear that she knew the Doctor would appreciate. In fact, she broke out one of the exceptionally pretty pieces that evening and he spent a great deal of time demonstrating said appreciation

He took her to the Empire State Building the final day of their stay after an uncharacteristically lazy morning and afternoon spent almost entirely in bed. It was evening, the sun having just set and the city lights twinkling like precious stones all around them. It was breathtaking. They had seen so many beautiful worlds, so many incredible things that Rose often forgot the beauty her own planet was capable of.

The Doctor had come up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her flush against him. Despite the fact that it was late May, it was rather cool and windy 102 stories up, and Rose tugged the edges of his long coat around them. Even though he always ran a few degrees cooler than she did, the coat made a lovely caccoon of warmth around them. She leaned back against him, content to stand close and stare at the incredible site of New York City spread out before them.

"Did you know," he whispered low in her ear. "The Empire State Building is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World in your era. Tallest building in the world for over 30 years, and the first building ever with over 100 floors. And one of the most amazing views I have ever seen."

"Really? That's saying something, considering where you've been!"

"I wasn't talking about New York."

Rose started, shocked by the sudden low, raw quality to his voice. She turned slowly to face him, the look in his eyes taking her breath away. He was gazing at her like she was the most precious thing in all of the universe, the somehow simultaneous tenderness and and intensity almost too much for her to bear.

"Doctor..."

He brought his fingers up to press gently against her lips, silencing her. "No, no...I need to say something. Rose Tyler...I've seen the birth and death of stars, I've seen the suns rise and set in every corner of the galaxy. I have seen life _created _and history made right in front of me. And still, I look at you and my breath catches. You remain the most glorious sight I have ever beheld in nearly a millennia of existence."

Rose could only gape at him, her eyes filling with tears at his beautiful words as he kept on going.

"We're going back to London tomorrow. And we're going to hook you up to machines that monitor your brain activity to see if your mind can sustain a permanent bond with mine. The fact that you are willing to tie yourself to me in the tradition of my people..." His eyes closed and he took in a deep breath. "I wanted you to know that, even if we can't, it doesn't matter to me. Even if we find out that we can't have this, it doesn't change how..." He trailed off, voice cracking on the next words. "...how I feel about you."

"Doctor..." she finally managed to croak out, her voice choked with tears.

"You told me once that you would stay with me forever," he barreled on. He met her gaze, eyes shining. "Do you mean that? Do you want forever with me? With this broken old man who can't breathe without you? Can't even exist? Can't even fathom any life, day after day on Earth or traveling through time and space, without Rose Tyler by his side?"

In that moment, staring down into the Doctor's chocolate brown eyes, laid bare and raw with emotion, something occurred to Rose. Her heart swelled and for some odd reason, she realized just how rare it had been before landing in Pete's World that they actually _talked_.

She started a bit at the thought, but couldn't stop it from barreling on. The Doctor was not one for long, in-depth conversations, and they'd had precious little down time on the TARDIS to really get to know each other. Despite the fact that they'd already managed several adventures since coming into this universe, they'd also spent a great deal of time _together_, just chatting quietly and enjoying one another's comforting presence. It wasn't their norm, but it was a time she knew they both had come to cherish.

Rose had realized long ago how much she cared for him, and never had any doubt that she wanted to stay with him for the rest of her life, but the feeling that overtook her in that singular moment, with the Doctor standing before her and offering her a lifetime, was..._profound_. A piece she never knew was missing suddenly slid into place, warmth suffusing her entire being as she realized just how deeply her feelings ran. Over the last three weeks of being trapped together, when their fragile new relationship could have crumbled under the tragedy of losing the TARDIS and their lives shifting so dramatically into something that slightly resembled "domestic," they had blossomed into something that could truly last. She had labeled her feelings for him early on as "love," back when he'd worn a leather jacket and sounded like he was from the North. And that had been accurate, as far as her understanding of the emotion had ran at the time. Now she was a bit older, a bit wiser, and she realized that the Doctor wasn't her protector, her superior, or even the mad alien who showed her the stars.

He was her One.

"Of course I meant that," Rose whispered, reaching up to lovingly cup his cheek, heart swelling as he turned to nuzzle at her palm. "My Doctor. I'm yours, for as long as I have."

"I was hoping you'd say that. Now listen carefully because this next bit is very, _very _important. I don't care what the exams say. I don't care if we have one year or a hundred together, I don't care if we can sustain a permanent bond or if we merely have to carry on with what we have. I need you to know that...I'm yours. Always, completely and for the rest of our lives...just _yours._"

Rose couldn't speak around the lump in her throat. Instead she pulled his face to hers and kissed him, trying to infuse the gesture with everything she felt for him, with all of the love that was swelling up in her chest at that moment and when she finally pulled away for air, even the Doctor was panting.

"We need to leave," Rose whispered. "_Immediately."_

"Leave?" the Doctor replied, furrowing his brows and looking adorably confused. "But we just got here! And I've made dinner reservations..."

"Sod dinner reservations," she told him, leaning in to kiss him once more and making a real attempt to project her emotions through the tiny spark in her mind that she'd come to recognize as their link.

The Doctor gasped as he pulled away, his eyes wide. "Right, right...yes, leaving. Brilliant." He grabbed her hand and grinned. "Allons-y, Rose Tyler!"

* * *

><p>Rose and the Doctor ended up ordering Chinese takeout in the middle of the night, talking and eating and laughing well past any semblance of a reasonable hour. In fact, the sun was just coming up when Rose drifted off, only having to wake up less than three hours later to gather their things and catch their afternoon zeppelin back to London. She found the Doctor's brown pinstripes safely tucked away in his pillow case, just as Mickey said they would be, and she had to giggle at the little note pinned to the lapel.<p>

_Dear Doctor, it's really just best to do as your girlfriend says. You'll be happier in the end. Sincerely, the Pinstripe Troll_

The commercial flight back was uneventful, Rose dozing much of the time while the Doctor a few of the long historical textbooks he'd loaded on an e-reader. Rose had convinced him to buy one when she pointed out that he didn't always have the luxury of bigger-on-the-inside pockets and taking a suitcase full of hardcovers with them everywhere was incredibly impractical. He was thrilled with the device, modifying it to have double the memory and extending the battery life. Rose had made a mental note to always buy him gadgets for future holidays.

The zeppelin landed at approximately 3 AM London time, and they didn't have much energy to spare as they loaded into a cab and were left off at the darkened mansion at half past four. Rose wasted no time collapsing into bed, the Doctor opting to stay up and tinker. He woke her up at half eight and even as she groaned and protested, her excitement at seeing her mum and Pete after a week and a half away grew steadily as she washed up.

Rose dressed quickly and was tying her hair back as she and the Doctor made their way into the kitchen. She grinned broadly at her mum and Pete, sitting close together at the table and each of them gripping ceramic mugs.

"Mum!" she exclaimed, running over to give Jackie a hug. "How are you? I missed you!"

"I missed you too, love. How was your trip?"

"Oh, it was brilliant! We brought presents from Barney's! Oh, and we saw _CATS _and went to a Yankees game, the Doctor even got one of those giant foam fingers..."

She continued to chatter on about New York and she and the Doctor gathered supplies for tea and toast. He interrupted where appropriate, adding details that she may have forgotten. They moved towards the table and gave Jackie and Pete broad smiles as they sat down and dug into their breakfast.

"Rose, Doctor, we've got something to tell you..." Pete began hesitantly, taking advantage of the opportunity their mouthfuls of food presented.

Rose glanced at the Doctor, whose eyebrow instantly raised in question. They chewed their toast and swallowed almost simultaneously. "Is everything okay?" Rose asked as she took a gulp of her still-hot tea and winced.

"Well..."

"Rose," Jackie began, reaching out to cover her daughter's hand and taking in a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."


	19. Chapter 18

**Thank you for continuing with this fic! I promise, I will finish it...eventually! My plan is to focus on my WIPs for the month of October and then I can spend November writing my original novel for NaNo. We'll see if RL agrees with this plan**

The Doctor watched Rose sit in the chair for several moments, staring at the polished wood, processing the information. With his highly efficient brain, the same task had taken him a nanosecond. Jackie was pregnant. While he was fairly certain about the technicalities of human reproduction, there was one fact that he still wasn't clear on.

"Blimey," he breathed out, raking a hand through his hair. "Who's the father?"

"_Who's the father?" _Jackie screeched, picking up a nearby newspaper and reaching across the table to swat the Doctor repeatedly on the head. "Oh, I'll give you a father, you _completely insufferable..._"

"Ow ow ow!" The Doctor tried to deflect Jackie's blows with his hands. "It's a legitimate question, Jackie! I mean, we've only been here a month..."

"You just don't know when to shut it, do you?" Jackie asked, still swatting at him.

"Doctor-"

"Jacks-"

Pete and Rose had spoken at the same time. Jackie's vicious assault ceased as she glanced back at them and Pete placed a calming hand on her arm. "Calm down, luv. He didn't mean anything by it..."

Jackie seemed to calm significantly and sat back down in her seat, still narrowing her eyes at him. Rose, however, ran her own hand soothingly up and down the Doctor's arm as he glared at her mother, still highly affronted at the unwarranted attack on his person. "Now's not really the best time, Doctor."

He glanced at her with his eyebrow raised, but didn't reply. Instead, he gripped the hand that was still absently caressing his Oxford and Rose seemed to relax instantly at the familiar feeling of their fingers twining together. She took a deep breath, and the Doctor could sense a creeping anxiety through their link. It was warring with an almost hesitant joy, but the Doctor could tell there was something wrong. Was she concerned for her mother? Certainly it was merited, older women tended to have much more difficult pregnancies, but really, they had _him. _There was no reason to be concerned for Jackie's health...

Something in the back of the Doctor's mind reminded him of the conversation they'd had at Royal Hope Hospital, after he'd explained to her that they weren't genetically compatible enough to have children. She'd taken the news well enough at the time, but now, faced with someone close to her having a child, would she suddenly start to feel differently? Would she want children sometime in the future? They could certainly adopt if she wanted, he would do everything in his power to make Rose happy, but what if she was suddenly realising all the things he couldn't give her?

When a full minute had passed in silence, the Doctor couldn't take it anymore and squeezed her hand. She glanced up and must have seen the concern etched in his features, much as he tried to mask it. She gave him a small smile and squeezed back, calming his anxiety for a moment before she turned to her mum and not-quite-dad, who were clearly waiting for her to respond.

"Mum," she said quietly. "Are...you happy?"

The Doctor watched Jackie's face transform in that moment. She suddenly looked _years _younger, and her smile, so like Rose's that he was unable to contain his in return, was blinding. She truly was glowing, and lovely, and he watched Rose's own lips curve into a huge, beauteous grin.

"I'm so happy, Rose," Jackie breathed, taking Pete's hand as a genuine smile spread over his face as well.

"We both are," Pete added.

The Doctor saw Rose's eyes begin to shine as she stood up from the table. Jackie stood as well, and mother and daughter embraced joyously. Despite Rose's obviously conflicting emotions, he noticed her grin widening as she and her mother let out simultaneous happy, excited noises.

"We're going to have a _baby!_" Rose exclaimed, unable to contain her delight. She rocked Jackie back and forth in her arms. Suddenly remembering the fourth occupant of the table and half the reason for the celebrations, the Doctor stood and congratulated Pete, pumping his hand heartily. Rose reluctantly broke away from Jackie to hug her sort-of-dad, and the Doctor turned to the woman with whom his relationship was so unbelievably complicated. He held out his arms for a hug and had to swallow a sudden lump in his throat at the affection in her gaze.

He pulled her into an embrace, murmuring his well-wishes in her ear and assuring her that he was here for anything she needed. When Jackie pulled away, there were tears in her eyes and she let out an embarrassed chuckle.

"God, I'm a mess," she muttered, grabbing a Kleenex from a nearby box and dabbing at her eyes. "Bloody hormones. Same with Rose, couldn't look at a pretty pattern of wall paper without the waterworks starting."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Rose asked jovially, linking her arm through the Doctor's. "We celebrating? Tell you what, the Doctor and I are cooking dinner tonight!"

The Doctor's head jerked in her direction. "Sorry, Rose, I don't think I heard you right..."

"Oh, that sounds brilliant, love," Jackie breathed, giving Rose one more hug. "Thank you."

"No, really," he continued, panic rising in him at the thought of _cooking _a _meal_. For real _people _and not just himself and Rose. "I don't know if you've thought this plan through, Rose..."

"You'll be fine," Rose said, draining the last of her tea. "We'd better get going, though, or we'll be late. Lots to do today. Doctor, you coming?"

He grabbed onto Rose's outstretched hand reluctantly, grumbling the entire way to the front door about how his culinary skills may not work as well on 21st Century Earth. Rose hurried him into the waiting car and, not entirely to the Doctor's surprise, curled into him with a sigh as the driver took off.

The Doctor tugged her gently into his side, pressing his lips to the top of her hair. He could sense there was something bothering her, her happiness warring with some feeling he was positive Rose couldn't even work out, let alone him. He wasn't used to this, this..._emotional _part of a relationship. He had promised Rose he would try and do better, but he was floundering with the anxiety and emotions and having-to-ask-what's wrong part of their relationship. His marriage on Gallifrey had been free of all this, but it had also been free of the intense love and affection that he shared with Rose.

Perhaps that was part of the problem. He cared for her, so much he sometimes couldn't breathe from it, and he wanted nothing more than to give her everything she could ever want. And if she indeed wanted a child, _his _child, the one thing he couldn't give her…how soon until she realized that he wasn't worth giving up what she wanted? Was she already realizing it?

He couldn't dwell on this. Just the thought of her leaving him was enough to set his hearts racing in panic. He had to distract her, had to make her smile or laugh or even so angry with him that she forgot being upset in the first place.

He tilted her chin up so he could see her eyes and grinned at her. "Since you've volunteered us, I'm leaving it up to _you _to pick the menu."

Rose chuckled. "Well how should I know? The only thing I've seen you cook is dehydrated food packets."

A breath he didn't realize he was holding whooshed out of him at the sight of Rose's small, responding smile. She was fine, already distracted by other things, and he was grateful. His own grin widened as he proceeded to tease her back. "This from the woman who tried to put cheese on crackers and ended up setting the galley on fire!"

"Oi! I had nothing to do with that fire! You were the one who 'fixed' the toaster and made it spark uncontrollably!"

"I did nothing of the sort!"

They continued to banter playfully, offering dinner options as the Doctor's anxiety slowly decreased. Rose finally offered a simple-sounding pasta dish that they could apparently buy in a jar. Rose began walking him through the steps involving chicken and fettuccine and assigned him the task of opening a jar and boiling water.

By the time they reached Torchwood, walking in hand-in-hand as he spluttered indignantly about her faith in him and Rose giggled at his response, he breathed out an internal sigh of relief. Whatever Rose had been feeling seemed to have been pushed to the side, and he felt the familiar, addictive warmth of her happiness seeping through their lingering connection. By the time she kissed him goodbye and went off to tackle the reports from New York, he couldn't help but congratulate himself on getting a hang of this "human relationship" nonsense.

* * *

><p>By the end of the day, the Doctor was willing to do <em>anything <em>just to see Rose smile again.

He was worried, almost to the point of driving himself mad. They'd barely touched all day, which in and of itself was making him a bit loopy. Rose was distant, thoughtful, and he couldn't get a good read on her mood because she always kept just a few too many inches of space between them. Even in Tescos, when they had always navigated the trolley in the completely impractical manner of his front pressed up against her back while they attempted to keep their footing, Rose had simply used a shopping basket for the few items they needed.

Even on the drive home, she stared silently out the window, completely engrossed in her thoughts. Oh, he prattled and talked and went on and on as he was wont to do, but other than the occasional thoughtful hum, she didn't participate. They cooked…_well_…Rose simmered chicken in a creamy sauce while he, as instructed, opened jars and boiled water. Dinner was lively, and Rose put on a good show, but he could tell she was…_subdued. _Her normally bright, luminous presence was noticeably dim, and by the time they'd eaten dessert and she'd excused herself to shower, he found himself practically ravenous for her smile.

He excused himself to the guest wing soon after Rose, while Jackie and Pete were working on the dishes and making tea. He sat on the edge of the bed and listened to the shower running in the ensuite, Rose's soft sobs just barely audible to his advanced Time Lord ears. He pressed his forehead into his palms as his hearts cracked at the sound. Rose was sad, Rose was _crying, _and he didn't know if it was his fault, but he _had _to make it right.

He continued to sit on the bed in the same position until the faucets turned off. He heard Rose step out of the shower and a few moments later, she opened the door wrapped in her fluffy pink dressing gown. The words rushed out of his mouth, unfiltered, the need to say _something _to make everything all right again overriding his common sense.

"Rose," he began, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm…so, so sorry…"

Rose met his gaze, confused. "What? Why?"

"For our…biological incompatibility."

"Our what now?"

He took a deep breath and held her gaze. "I'm…sorry my square sperm-pegs can't fit in your round egg-holes!"

He winced a bit as the word vomit seemed to spew from his lips. But Rose burst out laughing, and his own smile stretched across to match hers. The heavy weight on her chest lifted as they laughed together. "That…didn't quite come out the way I'd planned."

Rose shook her head and began puttering around the room, going through her nighttime routine as if they were having a completely normal conversation. "Start from the beginning, please. I'm having a hard time following."

He took a breath and nodded. "I just…know the news today must have been shocking. And you seemed so sad…I just…want you happy. There are lots of things we can do, Rose, if you want children. Really. We can adopt, we could use a…_donor._" The Doctor shuddered at this notion and Rose grinned. "Weelll…maybe not a donor. But I could tinker in the genetics lab, try to come up with something. With me at the helm we might be able to come up with something in oh, say...five or ten years..."

"Hold on, hold on," Rose interrupted as she finished working out the knots in her damp hair. She set down the hairbrush and picked up her lotion. "You thought I was upset because my mum got pregnant and we _can't_?"

The Doctor tugged his ear. "Well, when you say it _out loud _like that…"

Rose sighed and set down the tub of sweet-smelling goop she'd been spreading over her skin. She made her way over to the bed and sat down next to him, taking his hand in hers. She practically felt his muscles relax at the contact, the furrow in his brow easing as she interlaced their fingers, her own anxiety easing at the simple act of their palms pressing together.

"Doctor," she began. "I'm gonna be honest here. I'm not gonna pretend I'm not a little bit sad that we can never have kids. I mean, I never even thought about it until you said that we _couldn't,"_ she admitted. "But it's fine, yeah? I told you it's fine. And besides…that's not what's bothering me. I just…" Rose took a deep breath and shifted onto the bed, one leg tucked underneath her, so she was facing him more fully. "I was pretty sure, with Pete here, that mum wouldn't want to come back home with us, if we found a way. But then she said she would, before we left for Norway. Now…with a baby _and _Pete and this great life…" Rose glanced down at the duvet, swallowing against the lump in her throat. "I just…I don't think she'd ever come home now. How could she give this up? She's so happy. And it wouldn't be fair of me to ask her…she's got Pete and now the baby and I've got you…"

The Doctor sighed, tipping her chin up so she met his soft, brown gaze. She smiled at him and snuggled into his comforting embrace, knowing that she wouldn't give this up for anything. She had been ready to let her mother go in the rush and chaos of Canary Wharf, had come to terms with settling down when they'd been trapped on Krop Tor, but now that she'd had a taste of this life, with her mum and a sort-of dad and now a sibling on the way…she knew she would miss it, would mourn it, once they found a way back. It was now a sure thing that once they were back in their original universe, she would never see her family again.

"You know…" the Doctor mused quietly as he stroked a hand through her damp hair. "We don't _have _to leave."

She glanced up at met his gaze, the tender, open expression on his face one she still wasn't quite used to seeing. "What do you mean?"

"I _mean_," he began. "I could stop looking for a way back. We could stay right here. _Well_…not _right _right here. I don't think we could live with your mum and Pete forever without drastically increasing the risk of homicide. Or xenocide, as it were…"

Rose gaped at him. "No, Doctor…you can't. You _couldn't…_"

He sniffed. "I find your faith in me completely reassuring, Rose."

"No, that's not what I meant," she fumbled a bit. "'S just…you need the TARDIS, she needs you. Even with our connection…it's not gonna last forever." She once again glanced down at the printed duvet, lump rising in her throat. "What happens…when I'm gone? I saw you on the beach, when you were cut off from her." She met his gaze, her eyes damp but determined. "I won't have you living like that."

"Ohhhh, you know me," he said, the tiny quaver in his voice the only evidence of him putting on his "brave face." "I'll be all right. I am _brilliant _after all…"

Rose couldn't take it. He gave her a reassuring smile, but his eyes were shining, deep and fathomless and, in that moment, she could practically _feel _his nine hundred years of life. She felt the turning of innumerable planets, felt the love and loss and fear and joy and it nearly overwhelmed her.

Rose did the only thing she could think of. She cupped the sides of his face and brought his lips to hers, letting them get lost in each other for too brief a time.

Slowly, he pushed the pink terrycloth from her shoulders, leaving her bare to his gaze as she raised up on her knees and straddled his lap. She pushed him back on the bed and worked feverishly to undress him, suddenly desperate to show him, in that moment and for the rest of her days, how madly she loved him. She could only hope it would be enough.

* * *

><p>They spent the weekend at Torchwood, Rose working to catch up on mountains of paperwork while the Doctor tinkered with machinery and equations that Rose couldn't even begin to comprehend. Instead, she let him ramble and think out loud, occasionally muttering in agreement or making the appropriate sympathetic noise when his skin got in the way of the soldering iron.<p>

Finally, it was Monday morning. The Doctor was distracted, going over and over the final details in his head for Rose's telepathy tests that would go on during the week. He'd discussed them at length, informing her that she would be getting an EEG while he attempted to telepathically stimulate different parts of her mind, an MRI afterwards to make sure she hadn't suffered any ill-effects from said stimulation, and a few controlled experiments involving simple tasks, like guessing a playing card or whatever number the participant was thinking. She was scheduled for the EEG that evening, and the fact that they could know in a matter of _days _whether her mind could sustain a permanent bond with his...well, he was rather impatient to get started.

The test went well enough. The technician stuck electrodes to Rose's head while the Doctor wrinkled his nose at the primitive technology and Rose complained about the goop getting into her hair. He gently pressed into her mind, wandering only through the mechanical functions and not any thoughts or memories, sending gentle signals from his own mind to hers to see which areas would be alight with activity when he reviewed the images later on.

About fifteen minutes after they'd started, he slipped gently from Rose's mind with a tiny groan of disappointment. Even just a clinical connection with her mind felt incredible, and the only thing that sustained him was knowing how soon it could be that way permanently. While the technician helped remove the electrodes painlessly from Rose's skin and hair, the neurologist handed him a large manila envelope with the printed images. Hearts racing, he tugged Rose from her chair as soon as she was disconnected from the various machinery and began making his way to their lab.

They were just passing an open door when Jake's voice called out to them. "Doctor! Rose!"

The Doctor groaned, but peeked into the room with a friendly smile. "Hello, Jake! Sorry, can't talk now, lots to do!"

"Sorry, I'm sure you're busy," he said, gesturing to the television. Several people, including all of the members of Mickey's team were watching with rapt attention as an old man was interviewed. "But you might want to take a look at this..."

"Tomorrow," the man gasped out. "I will change what it means to be human!"

"He's gonna what now?" Rose asked.

The Doctor felt his jaw drop. He stared at the screen, trying to work through this new information in his head until he finally managed to sputter out one word.

_"What?"_


End file.
